Relief of chest pain after nitroglycerin in a patient with chest pain suggests which condition?

• A. Angina
• B. Myocardial infarction
• C. Pericarditis
• D. Aortic dissection

Answer: (A)

Relief with nitroglycerin points to ischemia from coronary narrowing causing angina. Nitroglycerin works by releasing nitric oxide, which relaxes smooth muscle and dilates veins, reducing preload and myocardial wall stress. This lowers how hard the heart has to work and improves oxygen supply relative to demand in areas of the heart fed by narrowed arteries, so the chest pain from stable angina typically eases after taking nitro. In other causes of chest pain, like pericarditis or aortic dissection, the pain is not usually relieved by nitroglycerin because the underlying problem isn’t primarily a reversible demand‑supply mismatch. In myocardial infarction, pain can be persistent and not reliably relieved by nitro, so while some transient relief might occur, angina remains the best explanation for a nitro-responsive chest pain pattern.