rasitusrintakipua

Rasitusrintakipua is a Finnish term for chest pain that occurs during physical activity or emotional stress. It most often describes angina pectoris, caused by reduced blood flow through the coronary arteries due to coronary artery disease.

Typical pain is described as pressure, squeezing, or heaviness behind the sternum. It usually lasts a few minutes and subsides with rest or nitroglycerin. It may radiate to the left arm, shoulder, neck, jaw, or back. Some people, especially women, the elderly, or those with diabetes, have atypical symptoms such as shortness of breath.

Causes and risk factors: The leading cause is atherosclerotic narrowing of the coronary arteries. Other causes include coronary artery spasm or anemia. Risk factors include age, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, inactivity, and family history.

Diagnosis: Evaluation begins with history and physical examination, followed by ECG at rest and during exertion, blood tests (including troponin), and possibly imaging such as echocardiography or coronary angiography to assess blockages.

Treatment: Acute episodes are treated with rest and nitroglycerin. Long-term management focuses on reducing heart oxygen demand and improving blood flow through lifestyle changes, antiplatelet therapy (e.g., aspirin), statins, and blood pressure and diabetes control. Some patients require revascularization by angioplasty or bypass surgery.

When to seek care: Seek urgent care if chest pain lasts more than a few minutes, worsens, or is accompanied by sweating, fainting, severe shortness of breath, or arm or jaw pain. Chronic exertional chest pain should be evaluated by a clinician.