Which term is chest pain due to hypoxemia of the heart?

Which term is chest pain due to hypoxemia of the heart?

• A. A stationary clump of platelets
• B. Chest pain due to hypoxemia of the heart
• C. Ballooning of arterial walls due to weakness
• D. Shocking the heart to restart it or reset an abnormal rhythm

Answer: (B)

Angina pectoris is chest pain caused by insufficient oxygen supply to the heart muscle (myocardial ischemia). When the heart’s oxygen demand outstrips supply due to narrowed coronary arteries or other factors, the myocardium becomes ischemic and produces chest discomfort. The description “chest pain due to hypoxemia of the heart” directly captures this scenario, so the term angina pectoris fits best. The other phrases describe different problems: a stationary clump of platelets suggests a thrombus that can occlude a vessel; ballooning of arterial walls due to weakness refers to an aneurysm; shocking the heart to restart it or reset an abnormal rhythm describes defibrillation.

Angina pectoris is chest pain caused by insufficient oxygen supply to the heart muscle (myocardial ischemia). When the heart’s oxygen demand outstrips supply due to narrowed coronary arteries or other factors, the myocardium becomes ischemic and produces chest discomfort. The description “chest pain due to hypoxemia of the heart” directly captures this scenario, so the term angina pectoris fits best.

The other phrases describe different problems: a stationary clump of platelets suggests a thrombus that can occlude a vessel; ballooning of arterial walls due to weakness refers to an aneurysm; shocking the heart to restart it or reset an abnormal rhythm describes defibrillation.