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Chest Pain / Angina Pectoris: Difference between revisions
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===ECG=== | ===ECG=== | ||
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The electrocardiogram (ECG) is an easy and important tool to differentiate between myocardial ischemia and infarction. Patients with unstable angina pectoris will show abnormalities on the ECG at rest, in particular ST depression. | The electrocardiogram (ECG) is an easy and important tool to differentiate between myocardial ischemia and infarction. Patients with unstable angina pectoris will show abnormalities on the ECG at rest, in particular ST depression. | ||
Patients with stable angina pectoris are likely to have a completely normal ECG at rest, exercise ECG testing will be necessary to show any abnormalities. During exercise ECG testing an ECG is made during cycling on a home trainer or walking on a treadmill. While exercising the oxygen demand of the heart increases, if the narrowed coronary arteries are unable to supply enough oxygenated blood, the patient develops pain on the chest and the ECG will show abnormalities. | Patients with stable angina pectoris are likely to have a completely normal ECG at rest, exercise ECG testing will be necessary to show any abnormalities. During exercise ECG testing an ECG is made during cycling on a home trainer or walking on a treadmill. While exercising the oxygen demand of the heart increases, if the narrowed coronary arteries are unable to supply enough oxygenated blood, the patient develops pain on the chest and the ECG will show abnormalities. | ||
===Additional Investigations=== | ===Additional Investigations=== | ||