Coronary artery disease treatment

I have read that atypical angina is a diagnosis of exclusion.  I do not have esophageal disease (had an endoscopy), and do not have lung disease (had a CT scan).  I do have multi-vessel, extensive coronary artery calcification.  I have chest pain, nearly daily.  It is hard to know what triggers it, though work deadlines sometimes seem to have an effect.  The pain is around the breastbone, radiating outwards up to the armpits (both arms).  It also hooks over the left shoulder (but I have arthritis of the shoulder, so hard to know).  It is sometimes sharply felt on the back, between my shoulder blades.  It sometimes seems to go up the neck, ending on a dull, diffuse pain taking all my lower jaw.  In spite of the generalized calcification, my stress tests have so far been negative, so I have to bear the pain.  The worse part is that it renders me helpless: on occasion I have asked myself, Could this be a heart attack?, but the past experience of being told, "No, this is chest pain but it is not angina" prevents me from seeking help.  Is there anything that I could do?  My problem is further aggravated by the fact that I do NOT trust tests.  Reason:  my cholesterol level never went above 205, my blood pressure never went above 140 (and it is more often than not 110 over 60), my ESR and C-reactive protein tests have always been normal, ALWAYS, but, as the cardiologist told me today: "calcification of the arteries means that there were lesions, which have now healed (because they are calcified).  What we want to make sure is that there are no more lesions."  And how do you make sure when all the tests were normal?  This was discovered by chance, when I had the CT scan of the lungs (which was ordered because I had hypoxia).   So, back to my question: Should I ask the doctor to try nitro medication even though he says, on a basis of the stress test, "It is not angina"?  Many thanks for any suggestions, zonja

[Encephalomalcia]

Nitro's are bad for the liver.  Do you take a 81mg low dose aspirin daily?  What most likely what is happening is your arteries are spasming due to blockage.  Some arteries spasm at only 30% blocked while most arteries do not spasm until they are 70% blocked.  The only test to find out for sure would be the angiogram or a heart scan (with the heart scan there is a lot of radiation exposure),  If the arteries are spasming a stent could be placed to hold the artery open so that it does not spasm.  Having chest pains daily must be exhausting and worrisome.  I, myself, have just recently started taking a 81mg low dose aspirin a day and have noticed less chest pains.  I never got them daily, but every so often I get them.  Cholesterol levels should be 100 or below for LDL, HDL 52 or above, and blood pressure perfect would be 120/72.  Blood work can be good and even excellent and the arteries still blocked.  If you get any shaking or tremors in your chest or back, this most likely is arteries spasming or even a heart attack.  Some people say vibrating feeling.  Be aware of the symptoms.  Hope you are feeling better.