Coronary artery obstruction due to atherosclerosis, dissection, spasms, or embolism jeopardizes cardiac function by causing an imbalance between the myocardial energy/oxygen supply and demand.
Myocardial ischemia and chest pain will result if coronary blood flow cannot keep pace with the increase in myocardial metabolism.
Chest pain elicits an increase in sympathetic tone that increases myocardial oxygen consumption.
Ischemic muscle cells are electrically irritable and unstable, and the danger of developing cardiac arrhythmias and fibrillation is enhanced.
Platelet aggregation and clotting function is abnormal in atherosclerotic coronary arteries and the danger of thrombus or emboli formation is enhanced.
It appears that certain platelet suppressants or anticoagulants such as aspirin may be beneficial in the treatment of this consequence of coronary artery disease.