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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSome people who have myocardial ischemia don't experience any signs or symptoms (silent ischemia). When myocardial ischemia does cause signs and symptoms, they may include:
- Chest pressure or pain, typically on the left side of the body (angina pectoris)
- Neck or jaw pain
- Shoulder or arm pain
- Clammy skin
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea and vomiting
When to see a doctor
If you have chest discomfort, especially if it's accompanied by one or more of the other signs and symptoms listed above, seek medical care immediately. Call 911 or your local emergency number. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options. Driving yourself puts you and others at risk if your condition suddenly worsens.
- Deedwanla PC. Silent myocardial ischemia: Prognosis and therapy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed March 22, 2012.
- Deedwanla PC. Silent myocardial ischemia: Epidemiology and pathogenesis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed March 22, 2012.
- Goldberger AL. Electrocardiogram in the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and infarction. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed March 22, 2012.
- Deedwanla PC. Silent myocardial ischemia: Diagnosis and screening. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed March 22, 2012.
- Cardiac biomarkers. American Association for Clinical Chemistry. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cardiac_biomarkers/glance.html. Accessed March 22, 2012.
- Bonow RO, et al. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0398-6..C2009-0-59734-6--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0398-6&about=true&uniqId=236798031-10. Accessed March 22, 2012.
- Lanza GA, et al. Mechanisms of coronary artery spasm. Circulation. 2011;124:1774.
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