Patient's question:
Sometimes I feel chest pain, angina, and breathing obstruction. How can I differentiate between acute myocardial infarction and angina?Doctor's answer:
Patients with angina pectoris usually experience multiple episodes of discomfort in the precordial area or behind the sternum, sometimes described as squeezing or constricting sensations, or referred pain to the throat or left shoulder. They rarely sweat. Generally, the pain can be relieved after rest or by taking sublingual nitroglycerin or rapid-acting heart pills within 5 to 10 minutes. Myocardial infarction also presents with similar pain, but the pain is more severe and lasts longer, typically at least 15 minutes or more, with no relief of symptoms. It is often accompanied by sweating, sometimes nausea and vomiting, and in severe cases, it may lead to syncope or sudden death.