By Rohan Wagle, M.D. Show Have you ever seen an actor in an old movie dramatically clutch his chest and pop a pill when he gets shocking news? Chances are the culprit is angina, sometimes called angina pectoris, which is chest pain brought on by decreased blood flow to the heart. And while it may be humorous to watch an actor ham it up, angina is no laughing matter. It’s a warning sign that something, usually a fatty build-up called plaque or a blood clot, is causing your arteries to be too narrow. Knowing the triggers for and treating angina may help you avoid a heart attack. Know the TriggersWhen your heart doesn’t need much oxygen, such as when you’re relaxed and resting, it can usually beat along with no problem. But if something happens to increase the heart’s need for oxygen, angina symptoms may strike. Triggers for angina pain include:
Treatment Depends on SeverityNot surprisingly, the same lifestyle choices that help you have a healthier heart may help keep angina at bay. If your angina is mild, they may be enough to curb symptoms. Even if you take medicine for angina, you should still follow these guidelines. Making heart-healthy choices is the most important thing you can do for your heart and angina.
If lifestyle changes don’t give you relief, your doctor may recommend medication. There are several types out there, including medicines to:
If neither of these approaches help, you may need surgery to treat the heart disease causing angina. The most common procedures are angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting. Take Angina SeriouslyNever ignore chest pain or try to diagnose it yourself.
Do you or a family member have angina? How do you handle it? Angina is chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscles. It's not usually life threatening, but it's a warning sign that you could be at risk of a heart attack or stroke. With treatment and healthy lifestyle changes, it's possible to control angina and reduce the risk of these more serious problems. The main
symptom of angina is chest pain. Chest pain caused by angina usually: Sometimes there might be other symptoms, like feeling sick or breathless. If you have not been diagnosed with angina, get an urgent GP appointment if you have an attack of chest pain that stops within a few minutes of resting. They can check if it might be a heart problem and refer you to a hospital for tests. Find out more about how angina is diagnosed Call 999 for an ambulance if you have chest pain that does not stop after a few minutes. This could be a heart attack. TypesThere are 2 main types of angina you can be diagnosed with:
Some people develop unstable angina after having stable angina. Treatment for anginaYou'll probably need to take several different medicines for the rest of your life. You may be given medicine to:
If medicines are not suitable or do not help, an operation to improve blood flow to your heart muscles may be recommended. Living with anginaIf it's well controlled, there's no reason why you cannot have a largely normal life with angina. You can usually continue to do most of your normal activities. One of the most important things you'll need to do is to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as:
This can help reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Causes of anginaAngina is usually caused by the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscles becoming narrowed by a build-up of fatty substances. This is called atherosclerosis. Things that can increase your risk of atherosclerosis include:
Video: AnginaIn this video an expert describes the symptoms, stages and treatment of angina. Media last reviewed: 1 September 2021 Page last reviewed: 22 April 2021 |