(medical related) "Can't make it to the mailbox"

[Iamme]

Ever hear this said by someone who has corionary heart disease? This is supposed to be one of the apparent symptoms of having it. Or IS it?

This makes no sense to me. The arteries that plug up are in the heart. If the heart is not getting enough oxygen, the tissue begins to die. (Not the whole body mind you...the heart muscle at the starved area) I f the tissue dies, someone has a heart attack. Possibly angina, at best...depending on where the starving is occuring.

But what I can't understand is that if a plugged up persons heart is still pumping, with normal blood pressure...then why should the person get so exhausted that they have to take a breather, before continuing their journey to the mailbox?

I would think that the person who can't make it without resting on the way has some OTHER problem, at the same time, such as inefficient working lungs that are preventing oxygen from getting into the blood.

But I could be, and probably am, wrong. But I would like an explanation of...if the heart is pumping out blood to the rest of the body...then why is this person getting all winded? If JUST the heart is somewhat starved of oxygen...why would this affect the whole body?

[reprise]

Congestive heart failure (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4585)

The "failing" heart keeps working but not as efficiently as it should. People with heart failure can't exert themselves because they become short of breath and tired.

As blood flow out of the heart slows, blood returning to the heart through the veins backs up, causing congestion in the tissues. Often swelling (edema) results. Most often there's swelling in the legs and ankles, but it can happen in other parts of the body, too. Sometimes fluid collects in the lungs and interferes with breathing, causing shortness of breath, especially when a person is lying down.