What is the term used to describe chest pain associated with heart disease?

The term used to describe chest pain associated with heart disease is angina. Angina is a type of chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen-rich blood. This condition is often a symptom of coronary artery disease, which is characterized by the narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to the heart. Angina can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center or left side of the chest and may also be felt in the shoulders, neck, arms, back, teeth, or jaw.

Understanding angina is crucial because it acts as a warning signal for potential heart problems. While it is not a heart attack itself, experiencing angina can indicate that you are at increased risk for more severe heart conditions, including a myocardial infarction, or heart attack, which represents an actual blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle.

The other terms refer to different cardiac conditions: myocardial infarction specifically denotes heart tissue damage due to interrupted blood supply; arrhythmia refers to irregular heartbeats; and cardiac arrest is a critical condition where the heart suddenly stops beating. Each of these conditions relates to the heart, but they do not specifically denote the chest pain associated with inadequate blood flow to the heart itself as effectively as angina