Early symptoms of coronary heart disease

Written by Cai Li E
Cardiology
Updated on May 23, 2025
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The early symptoms of coronary heart disease are episodic chest pain, meaning patients are asymptomatic while at rest or during daily activities. However, symptoms such as chest pain can occur under the influence of factors like physical labor, emotional stress such as anger, anxiety, excessive excitement, overeating, cold, smoking, etc.

The location of the chest pain is primarily behind the sternum, with indistinct boundaries. It often radiates to the left shoulder, the inner side of the left arm reaching the ring and little fingers, or to the neck, throat, or lower jaw. The nature of the pain is compressive, stuffy or constrictive, and may also have a burning sensation, but not sharp like needle stings or knife cuts. Some patients may only feel chest discomfort, not pain. The chest pain generally lasts three to five minutes and does not exceed half an hour.

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Can coronary heart disease patients soak their feet?

People with coronary heart disease can soak their feet, but it is recommended not to do so during an angina attack. When soaking feet, the high water temperature causes the capillaries in the lower limbs to dilate, increasing blood supply to the lower limbs, which can correspondingly reduce the blood supply to the heart, easily leading to myocardial ischemia and angina attacks. Additionally, the soaking should not be too long, and the water temperature should not be too high. It is suggested that a 10-minute soak is appropriate, and a water temperature of around 37 to 38 degrees Celsius is advisable. Too high a temperature is not beneficial for patients with coronary heart disease.

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Coronary heart disease is what?

Coronary heart disease is the most common type of vascular disease caused by atherosclerosis and is a common disease that harms human health, often occurring in men over the age of forty. Men tend to develop the disease earlier than women. It is defined as atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, causing narrowing or occlusion of the lumen, leading to myocardial ischemia, hypoxia, or necrosis, and resulting in heart disease. Currently, the diagnostic gold standard for coronary heart disease is coronary angiography. During coronary angiography, the presence of significant stenosis in the coronary artery lumen of more than fifty percent can diagnose coronary artery atherosclerotic heart disease, or coronary heart disease. The pathological anatomy and pathophysiology of coronary heart disease vary, leading to different clinical manifestations. In 1979, the World Health Organization classified it into five types: 1. Asymptomatic myocardial ischemia. 2. Angina pectoris. 3. Myocardial infarction. 4. Ischemic cardiomyopathy. 5. Sudden death. Currently, based on different characteristics of onset and principles of treatment, it is divided into two main categories: First category: Chronic coronary artery disease. Second category: Acute coronary syndrome. Acute coronary syndrome includes unstable angina, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and sudden death is also included as a manifestation of acute coronary heart disease.

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Early symptoms of coronary heart disease

The early symptoms of coronary heart disease are episodic chest pain, meaning patients are asymptomatic while at rest or during daily activities. However, symptoms such as chest pain can occur under the influence of factors like physical labor, emotional stress such as anger, anxiety, excessive excitement, overeating, cold, smoking, etc. The location of the chest pain is primarily behind the sternum, with indistinct boundaries. It often radiates to the left shoulder, the inner side of the left arm reaching the ring and little fingers, or to the neck, throat, or lower jaw. The nature of the pain is compressive, stuffy or constrictive, and may also have a burning sensation, but not sharp like needle stings or knife cuts. Some patients may only feel chest discomfort, not pain. The chest pain generally lasts three to five minutes and does not exceed half an hour.

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What to eat for coronary heart disease

Patients with coronary heart disease need to maintain a reasonable daily diet, paying attention to low salt, low cholesterol, and low-fat food. The total daily intake of salt should be controlled to under 6 grams. It is best to consume a certain amount of vegetables daily, such as appropriately eating some tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, broccoli, etc., which are relatively good vegetables. Fruit should also be consumed daily, such as eating some fruit before meals, like kiwi, apples, and pears, which are fruits relatively rich in potassium and magnesium. These elements help further lower blood pressure and prevent the occurrence of arteriosclerosis. In addition, it is also recommended that patients choose some vegetable oils when cooking and use less fat to better prevent the occurrence of arteriosclerosis.

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How does one get coronary heart disease?

Coronary heart disease, officially called coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, is mainly caused by long-term elevated blood lipids, leading to arteriosclerosis, reduced elasticity in arterial walls, and thickening of the inner layer of blood vessels. This results in the narrowing of the coronary arteries and insufficient blood supply, which are the primary causes of coronary heart disease. Prolonged insufficient blood supply in the coronary arteries and severe narrowing can lead to angina and even myocardial infarction, posing significant risks to the body.