Cholesterol is a fatty chemical that is a part of the outer lining of cells in the body. Smoking, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and diabetes can accelerate plaque accumulation. Ultimately, atherosclerosis causes significant narrowing of the coronary arteries. During exercise or excitement, the narrowed coronary arteries cannot increase the blood supply to meet the increased oxygen demand of the heart muscle. Typically, angina occurs with exertion, and subsides with rest.
Unstable angina can be the indication of a heart attack in the near future.
Symptoms Chest pain or pressure is a common symptom of heart attack. Cardiac chest pain is often vague, or dull, and may be described as a pressure or band-like sensation, squeezing, heaviness, or some other discomfort. However, confirmation of a heart attack can only be made hours later through detection of elevated cardiac enzymes in the blood. Cardiac enzymes are muscle proteins that are released into the blood circulation by dying heart muscles when their surrounding membranes dissolve. Once the artery is open, the heart attack is generally halted and the patient becomes pain free.