Which statement best defines stable angina?

• A. Intermittent chest pain that occurs with exertion and is relieved by rest
• B. Pain that lasts more than 20 minutes and occurs at rest
• C. Transient, episodic chest discomfort resulting from myocardial ischemia that is predictable and reproducible
• D. Chest pain always worsens with deep inspiration

Answer: (C)

Stable angina is chest pain caused by myocardial ischemia that is predictable and reproducible with a similar level of exertion or stress, and it typically resolves with rest or nitroglycerin. That’s why the statement describing transient, episodic chest discomfort from ischemia that is predictable and reproducible best defines stable angina — it captures the key features: the ischemic origin and the consistent, repeatable pattern tied to activity.

The other descriptions point to scenarios not characteristic of stable angina: pain lasting longer than 20 minutes at rest suggests unstable angina or a heart attack; chest pain that changes with breathing hints at a pleural or chest wall issue; and exertional pain relieved by rest fits angina but doesn’t explicitly emphasize the reproducible pattern that distinguishes stable angina from other types.