Also known as Angina Pectoris
ABOUT THE DISEASE
Angina is chest pain or discomfort caused when heart muscles do not get enough oxygen-rich blood. It is thus a symptom of underlying heart problem. It usually happens because the arteries supplying the heart become hardened and narrowed. It may feel like pressure or squeezing in chest. The discomfort can also occur in shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back.
There are many types of angina, including stable angina, unstable angina, microvascular angina and Prinzmetals angina.
SYMPTOMS
Chest pain is the main symptom, there could be others like:
- • Aching/burning in chest
- • Discomfort in shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw or back
- • Feeling of fullness in the chest
- • Heaviness
- • Pressure
- • Squeezing
- • Shortness of breath
- • Sweating, or dizziness
Stable angina often gets better with rest. Unstable angina may not, and could get worse.
CAUSES
Angina is caused by reduced blood flow to heart muscle, mainly due to coronary artery disease (CAD). Heart (coronary) arteries can become narrowed by deposits called plaques. This is called atherosclerosis.
The major risk factors include:
• High cholesterol levels
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Inactive lifestyle
• Family history of heart disease
DIAGNOSIS
- Clinical Evaluation
- Blood tests
- Electrocardiograph (ECG)
- Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy
- MRI scan
- Angiogram
- Exercise stress test
TREATMENT METHODS
There are many options for angina treatment, including Lifestyle changes, Medications, Angioplasty and Stenting, and Coronary artery bypass surgery.
You may also like to learn about:
Heart Failure
Pulmonary embolism
Heart Valve disease
Gastritis
Hiatal hernia
Coronary artery disease