What symptom might a patient experience if there is inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle?

When there is inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle, the most common symptom a patient may experience is heart pain, often referred to as angina. This pain typically occurs because the heart muscle is not receiving enough oxygen-rich blood to meet its demands, especially during increased activity or stress. The sensation of heart pain can vary; some patients describe it as a feeling of pressure, squeezing, or a tightness in the chest that can also radiate to the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Understanding this symptom is crucial as it indicates the heart is under stress, which may lead to more severe conditions if not addressed.

The other options may also occur in patients with cardiac issues but are less specific. Increased exercise tolerance typically would not be expected in this scenario. Dizziness could result from various factors including decreased cardiac output, but it is not a direct indicator of inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle itself. Nausea can occur in some cardiac conditions, but heart pain is the more classic and direct symptom associated with insufficient blood supply to the myocardium.