A patient experiences stable angina, characterized by chest pain resolving with rest. What is his likely condition?

Stable angina is a condition characterized by episodes of chest pain or discomfort that typically occur with exertion or stress and are relieved by rest or nitroglycerin. This condition arises from a predictable level of myocardial oxygen demand that exceeds the oxygen supply due to coronary artery disease, often due to atherosclerosis.

In stable angina, the pain is consistent and occurs with physical activity or emotional stress, resolving quickly once the individual rests or stops the activity. This pattern of symptom presentation clearly aligns with the description provided in the question, where the patient experiences chest pain upon exertion that resolves with rest.

In contrast, acute coronary syndrome and acute myocardial infarction involve more severe, often unrelenting chest pain which may occur at rest and is typically not relieved by rest or medication. Unstable angina also presents with chest pain but differs from stable angina by occurring at rest, being more intense, or having a change in the pattern of previous angina episodes, indicating an increased risk of heart attack.

Therefore, the nature of the chest pain resolving with rest clearly indicates that the patient has stable angina. This understanding reinforces the distinction between stable and unstable angina, as well as other acute coronary events.