During an attack of coronary artery disease, pain can radiate to the back of the shoulders in some patients. The duration varies from minutes to hours, depending on the extent of the disease.
During a coronary attack, the pain is typically located in the precordial area, behind the sternal body, and often radiates to the left shoulder, left arm, or back. The nature of the pain tends to be oppressive, dull or constricting, and may also be characterized by a burning sensation, occasionally accompanied by a sense of near death.
The duration of stable angina is usually a few minutes to more than ten minutes, mostly 3 to 5 minutes, and usually not more than half an hour. Non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome lasts longer, up to tens of minutes.ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction pain lasts up to several hours or longer.
Coronary artery disease is a critical cardiovascular event, so seek medical attention for diagnosis and management.