Answer:
During exertion, a patient with atherosclerotic heart disease may experience chest pain due to a condition called angina pectoris. Angina occurs when there is an imbalance between the oxygen supply and demand of the heart muscle. Atherosclerosis is a condition characterized by the buildup of fatty deposits (plaques) within the arteries, narrowing their lumen and restricting blood flow to the heart.
When a person with atherosclerosis engages in physical exertion or any activity that increases the heart's oxygen demand, such as exercise or climbing stairs, the narrowed coronary arteries may not be able to deliver sufficient oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. This leads to myocardial ischemia, which is an inadequate blood supply to the heart. The insufficient oxygen supply can cause chest pain or discomfort known as angina.
During exertion, the heart has to work harder and pump more blood to meet the body's increased oxygen demands. However, the narrowed coronary arteries in atherosclerotic heart disease limit the amount of blood that can flow through them. This results in reduced oxygen supply to the heart muscle, leading to chest pain.
It's important to note that if the oxygen supply-demand imbalance becomes severe or prolonged, it can result in a heart attack (myocardial infarction), where a portion of the heart muscle becomes damaged or dies due to the lack of oxygenated blood.