What is the medical term for acute pain in the chest caused by a lack of oxygen to the heart?

The medical term for acute pain in the chest caused by a lack of oxygen to the heart is angina pectoris. This condition occurs when the heart muscle does not receive enough blood flow, often due to narrowed coronary arteries, leading to chest pain or discomfort. Angina pectoris is often described as a pressure, squeezing, or tightness in the chest and is commonly triggered by physical activity or emotional stress.

While angina can refer to chest pain more generally, angina pectoris specifically refers to the type of chest pain associated with ischemia of the heart, providing a more precise medical terminology for this condition. This distinction is important for understanding cardiac conditions and their implications in patient care and treatment.

Myocardial infarction refers to a heart attack, which is a more severe condition caused by prolonged oxygen deprivation leading to heart muscle damage, but it differs in that it is not just acute pain; it encompasses a more serious and often life-threatening event than angina pectoris. Pneumonia, on the other hand, is an infection of the lungs that can create chest discomfort, but it is unrelated to heart oxygenation issues.