A 54-year-old male develops crushing chest pain and shortness of breath while playing basketball, which resolves after five minutes. What condition does this best describe?

The scenario described best aligns with angina pectoris. This condition is characterized by chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart muscle does not get enough blood flow, typically due to coronary artery disease. The key aspect of angina is that the pain is often triggered by exertion, such as physical activity—in this case, playing basketball—and resolves with rest, which is indicated by the pain subsiding after five minutes.

Stable angina is a specific type of angina pectoris that occurs in a predictable pattern, often with similar triggers and a consistent duration of symptoms. While both stable angina and angina pectoris could be considered, angina pectoris is a broader term encompassing various types of chest pain due to coronary artery insufficiency, including stable angina.

Myocardial infarction, or heart attack, typically presents with more prolonged pain and does not resolve so quickly, especially with rest. Cardiac arrest refers to the sudden loss of heart function, which would likely entail collapse and unresponsiveness rather than resolving pain. Thus, the symptoms the individual experienced—crushing chest pain and shortness of breath that resolved with rest—specifically point to angina pectoris as the best answer.