Airport Angina
Report #6238
People who have no chest pain when they go about their usual activities, but develop pain when they walk with a heavy weight, may have a condition called airport angina.
It's named after a case report of a person who had no pain at any other time, but developed chest pain when he ran to catch a plane while carrying a heavy suitcase. It's caused by having partially blocked arteries leading to your heart. The oxygen for your heart comes from blood vessels on its outside surface. The blood that is pumped inside of your heart does not supply significant amounts of oxygen or nutrition to your heart muscle. As long as your heart muscle can get all the oxygen that it needs, it doesn't hurt. However, when the blood vessels on the surface of your heart are partially blocked, your heart may be able to get all the oxygen that it needs when you go about doing your usual activities, but when your heart works harder, it may not get enough oxygen to meet its needs, so starts to hurt.
When you walk carrying a heavy weight, such as a suitcase, your arm muscles stay contracted and partially obstruct the flow of blood through their arteries. Your heart has to work harder to pump against this increased resistance. Your narrowed heart arteries may not allow enough blood to flow through them so your heart will not get the extra oxygen that it needs and you may develop airport angina. If you develop chest pain when you exert yourself, check with your doctor.
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News
Checked 3/12/10