Chest Pain IsnÕt the Only Symptom of Heart Problems

Thursday, April 25, 2002

ROCHESTER, MINN. — Only about half of the people who have a heart attack experience chest pain (angina) — a symptom of coronary artery disease. But there are other symptoms, called anginal equivalents, which also indicate coronary artery disease.

Knowing what anginal equivalents feel like could alert you to a heart problem and save your life, according to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Coronary artery disease narrows one or more arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. If an artery becomes mostly or completely blocked, a heart attack or even sudden death may result.

Common anginal equivalents include shortness of breath and exercise-induced pain in the abdominal region, back, jaw, arm — more commonly in the left arm — or shoulder. Pain associated with anginal equivalents may:

* Be activity induced. The pain tends to be acute and occur with activity or emotional stress and may subside with rest.

* Have no obvious cause. For example, if you experience shoulder pain every time you are emotionally upset, it could be an anginal equivalent.

* Recur. Symptoms can follow a pattern, for example, shortness of breath every time you are 10 minutes into a walk.

See your doctor if you experience these types of symptoms, especially if you are at high risk of coronary artery disease. Risk factors include smoking, being overweight or over age 65 and having a family history of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Shelly Plutowski 507-284-5005 (days) 507-284-2511 (evenings) e-mail: newsbureau@mayo.edu

Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page, monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on todayÕs health and medical news. To subscribe, please call toll-free 800-333-9037 and mention extension 9PR1.

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