Final answer:
Chest pain that does not subside with nitroglycerin could indicate a myocardial infarction (heart attack). The patient should immediately receive medical attention that may include treatments like supplemental oxygen, aspirin, and potential surgical intervention. Other accompanying symptoms can further suggest a severe cardiac event.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a man in a dental chair experiences chest pain and nitroglycerin does not work, it is possible he may be experiencing a heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), rather than stable angina. Angina typically involves chest pain due to ischemia, which is when heart muscle cells do not receive enough oxygen because of reduced blood flow. Stable angina pain usually improves with rest or nitroglycerin, but if the pain does not subside, it indicates a more severe condition like unstable angina or an MI, which requires immediate medical attention.
During an MI, immediate treatments other than nitroglycerin are critical, including supplemental oxygen, aspirin, and potentially thrombolytic agents, anticoagulants, balloon angioplasty, stents, or even surgical interventions depending on the extent of the damage.
It is essential to consider other symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating, or nausea, which can accompany chest pain and could indicate a more severe cardiac event that requires urgent care.