Angina Overview

Angina, also called angina pectoris, is a type of chest pain that occurs when there is a lack of blood supply to an area of the cardiac muscle. In most instances, the reduced blood flow is due to the narrowing of the coronary arteries as a result of arteriosclerosis. According to one estimate, approximately 7 million Americans suffer from angina. The condition occurs equally among men and women. It has been found that people who have crossed the age of seventy are most likely to be affected by it. If you have a family history of heart disease, you may be more likely to get angina.

Generally there are two types of angina: stable angina and unstable angina. While the former is less serious, it can be very painful or uncomfortable. Stable angina can be controlled by medications. Unstable angina is severe and dangerous and requires immediate treatment in hospital.

The number of people diagnosed with angina is increasing and the disease is becoming more common. It can be an acute health concern. Since it is difficult to distinguish angina from the other types of chest pains, it is advisable to see your doctor whenever you have unexplained chest pain.

The main cause of angina is coronary artery disease (CAD), a condition resulting in the damage of arteries that supply the blood to feed the heart with oxygen. Over a period of time, which could span several years, arteries get narrowed or blocked by fatty deposits also known as plaque or atheroma. The build up within the arteries is called atherosclerosis. The risk factors for CAD include diabetes, family history of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, male gender, not getting enough exercise, obesity, and smoking.

The primary symptom of angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs behind the breastbone (sternum). The pain may spread to the sufferer’s neck, arms, shoulder, jaw and back. Other symptoms of angina include shortness of breath, fatigue, sweating, nausea, dizziness, indigestion and anxiety.

Many of the risk factors for angina can be tackled by making lifestyle changes that include eating a healthy diet, reducing your stress level, maintaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, controlling other health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol levels.

To help confirm whether you have angina, your doctor may do a number of tests and exams including electrocardiogram (ECG), stress test, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, nuclear stress test, coronary angiography, blood tests and cardiac computerized tomography (CCT) scan.

Various angina treatments that include lifestyle changes, medications and surgery either ease the pain, help prevent future angina attacks, and limit fatty deposits from further build up in the coronary arteries, thereby minimizing the risk of a heart attack. Drugs that can be used to prevent pain from angina are beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, sinus node inhibitors, nitrates and potassium channel activators. ACE inhibitors, anticoagulants, aspirin and statins are some of the medicines that are used to help prevent angina symptoms from worsening. As in medical care, medicines have some side effects. Fortunately, these side effects often disappear or lessen after the patient has taken the drugs for a short duration. It is advisable to talk to your doctor, if the side effects don’t go away. Never stop taking your medicines without informing your doctor. This may result in the worsening of the condition.

If an angina patient is not responding to medications and lifestyle changes, surgery may be recommended. The two most common surgeries for angina are angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Though, the treatments described above do not remove the atheroma that has formed, but they do help the patients get rid of the symptoms caused by them.

If you are diagnosed with angina, there is no need for you to feel helpless. Your family members can significantly contribute to the relieving of your symptoms by becoming supportive. They can share some of your responsibilities thereby reducing your stress.