Which statement best explains why the chest pain began after fear?

Which statement best explains why the chest pain began after fear?

• A. The decrease in the need for oxygen during the fight-or-flight response experienced with fear is most likely the reason that you developed chest pain.
• B. Fear causes an increase in glucose levels, which limits blood flow and causes chest pain.
• C. Fear causes an increase of the body's heart rate and blood pressure, which can place additional stress on your damaged heart and cause chest pain.
• D. Fear causes the parasympathetic system to use all available adrenaline, leaving you so tired that you developed chest pain.

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is how fear triggers the body's sympathetic response, increasing heart rate and blood pressure and thereby raising the heart’s workload. When fear activates the fight-or-flight response, the body releases catecholamines that speed up the heartbeat and elevate blood pressure. This increases the heart’s oxygen demand. If the heart is damaged or there are narrowed coronary vessels, blood flow may not meet this higher demand, producing ischemia and chest pain. This is why chest pain can begin after fear—the stress on an already vulnerable heart leads to pain. The other statements don’t fit because fear does not decrease oxygen needs, glucose rise alone does not explain reduced blood flow, and the parasympathetic system does not drive adrenaline or fatigue in this way.

The concept being tested is how fear triggers the body's sympathetic response, increasing heart rate and blood pressure and thereby raising the heart’s workload. When fear activates the fight-or-flight response, the body releases catecholamines that speed up the heartbeat and elevate blood pressure. This increases the heart’s oxygen demand. If the heart is damaged or there are narrowed coronary vessels, blood flow may not meet this higher demand, producing ischemia and chest pain. This is why chest pain can begin after fear—the stress on an already vulnerable heart leads to pain. The other statements don’t fit because fear does not decrease oxygen needs, glucose rise alone does not explain reduced blood flow, and the parasympathetic system does not drive adrenaline or fatigue in this way.