Pain 7/10 relieved by one nitro tab; most likely diagnosis?

• A. Angina
• B. Myocardial infarction
• C. Costochondritis
• D. Pulmonary embolism

Answer: (A)

Relief of chest pain with a nitro tablet points to angina because nitrates reduce myocardial oxygen demand and can improve blood flow to the ischemic heart muscle. This makes the pain from stable angina—caused by a temporarily imbalanced oxygen supply and demand—likely. Nitro works quickly by dilating veins (reducing preload and wall stress) and can help restore the balance in patients with coronary narrowing, especially when the pain is exertional or stress-related and improves with rest or a dose of nitroglycerin.

If the pain were due to a myocardial infarction, it might start similarly but is often more persistent and not reliably relieved by a single nitro dose; MI is a medical emergency with possible ongoing pain, shortness of breath, sweating, or other signs, and typically requires additional evaluation and treatment. Costochondritis presents as chest wall pain that’s tender to palpation and movement and isn’t helped by nitro. Pulmonary embolism tends to cause sudden, pleuritic chest pain with shortness of breath and signs of perfusion or respiratory distress, again not typically relieved by nitro.

So the pattern of pain that is significant in intensity and relieved by one nitro tab best fits angina, reflecting reversible myocardial ischemia from coronary disease. If symptoms change, persist, or worsen, seek urgent assessment.