Читать книгу Understanding Anatomy and Physiology in Nursing - John Knight - Страница 117

As coronary vessel occlusion progresses in CAD patients, less oxygenated blood is delivered to the myocardium and the cardiac muscle cells are forced into anaerobic respiration with lactic acid accumulation. This build-up of lactic acid produces a heavy sensation that is often experienced as central chest pain behind the breastbone. This painful sensation that is associated with CAD is referred to as angina pectoris and commonly spreads from the chest, down the left arm and frequently up the left side of the neck into the left side of the jaw.

Angina can be subdivided into stable angina, where the pain is brought on following physical exertion such as walking up a hill, and unstable angina, where the pain is often unpredictable, frequently occurring without physical exertion at apparently random times during the day and night. Unstable angina is a serious clinical finding since it is often seen in patients prior to suffering an MI.