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Chest Pain / Angina Pectoris: Difference between revisions
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In 1772 doctor William Heberden first described angina pectoris, he wrote: ''“They who are afflicted with it are seized, while they are walking (more especially if it be up hill), with a painful and most disagreeable sensation in the breast, which seems as if it would extinguish life if it were to increase or to continue, but the moment the patient stands still all this uneasiness vanishes”''.<cite>Davies</cite> | In 1772 doctor William Heberden first described angina pectoris, he wrote: ''“They who are afflicted with it are seized, while they are walking (more especially if it be up hill), with a painful and most disagreeable sensation in the breast, which seems as if it would extinguish life if it were to increase or to continue, but the moment the patient stands still all this uneasiness vanishes”''.<cite>Davies</cite> | ||
[[File:heberden.jpg|thumb|right|200px|William Heberden]] | [[File:heberden.jpg|thumb|right|200px|William Heberden]] | ||
Three major coronary arteries provide the heart with oxygenated blood, the right coronary artery (RCA), the left coronary artery (LCA) and the circumflex artery (Cx). When the coronary arteries are affected by atherosclerosis and the lumen of the coronary arteries narrows, the heart receives less oxygenated blood and becomes hypoxic, which results in angina pectoris. | Three major coronary arteries provide the heart with oxygenated blood, the right coronary artery (RCA), the left coronary artery (LCA) and the circumflex artery (Cx). When the coronary arteries are affected by atherosclerosis and the lumen of the coronary arteries narrows, the heart receives less oxygenated blood and becomes hypoxic, which results in angina pectoris. | ||
[[File:Coronary_anatomy.png|thumb|right|200px|Coronary anatomy: right coronary artery (RCA), the left coronary artery (LCA) and the circumflex artery (Cx)]] | |||
Complete history and physical examination are essential to determine angina pectoris as diagnosis and to exclude other causes of chest pain, such as aorta dissection, arrhythmias, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, heartburn, hyperventilation or musculoskeletal problems.<cite>Sampson</cite> | Complete history and physical examination are essential to determine angina pectoris as diagnosis and to exclude other causes of chest pain, such as aorta dissection, arrhythmias, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, heartburn, hyperventilation or musculoskeletal problems.<cite>Sampson</cite> | ||