Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue that can be mild, or abrupt and severe, such as a heart attack. -http://www.heartpoint.com.
Symptoms of Coronary Disease .
More than 6 million Americans have symptoms due to coronary artery disease (CAD). As many as 1.5 million Americans will have a heart attack this year. As a result, almost one-third will die. The most dramatic symptom of CAD is sudden death. But CAD produces other, sometimes less dramatic symptoms (chest pain). -http:www.heartpoint.com.
Chest Pain (Angina).
Angina, or chest pain, occurs when your heart tissue doesn't receive enough oxygen and nutrients because of a blockage in the arteries. When a blockage occurs, heart cells use stored energy for pumping. By-products, such as lactic acid, build up and are not removed efficiently because of the blocked blood flow that caused the problem initially. Waste product build up is thought to be the cause of pain. The pain may be similar to the pain experienced when you overwork your muscles, which is also due to lactic acid buildup. The heart cells can rely on stored energy only for a short time before the cells become damaged permanently. This temporary injury is called ischemia. Permanent damage is called infarction or tissue death. .
Angina.
There are two types of angina associated with coronary artery disease: stable and unstable. Whereas stable angina has a predictable pattern that occurs over time, unstable angina is different from the patient's usual pattern of chest pain. Typical symptoms of angina include a variety of sensations. For example, angina may involve only mild, vague discomfort that is not really perceived as pain but as more an ache. Or it may be a severe, intense, crushing pain in the center of the chest. The location of pain may differ, however, pain is usually felt beneath the breastbone. In addition to chest pain, there may be associated pain that radiates to the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, or back.