What condition is characterized by chest pain due to lack of oxygen?

Angina is a condition that specifically manifests as chest pain or discomfort due to inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle. This situation often arises when there is an imbalance between the oxygen demand of the heart and the oxygen supplied to it, usually stemming from coronary artery disease. During episodes of angina, individuals may experience tightness or pressure in the chest, which can be triggered by physical exertion, emotional stress, or other factors that increase the heart's workload.

Understanding the nature of angina is crucial, as it can serve as a warning sign for more severe heart conditions. In contrast, while myocardial infarction, or heart attack, also involves insufficient oxygen to heart tissue, it is more serious and results in permanent damage to the heart muscle. Arrhythmia refers to irregular heartbeats that may or may not be accompanied by chest pain, and hypertension involves elevated blood pressure rather than direct oxygen deprivation to the heart. Therefore, angina is distinctly recognized for its characteristic chest pain arising from a lack of oxygen, thus making it the correct answer in this context.