What is ANGINA?
Angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. The pain may also occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may also feel like indigestion. Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type of heart disease. CAD occurs when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries. This buildup of plaque is called atherosclerosis. As plaque builds up, the coronary arteries become narrow and stiff. Blood flow to the heart is reduced. This decreases the oxygen supply to the heart muscle.
Types of Angina
The three types of angina
are stable, unstable, and variant..Stable angina. Stable
angina is the most common type. It occurs when the heart is working harder
than usual. There is a regular pattern to stable angina. After several
episodes, you learn to recognize the pattern and can predict when it will
occur. The pain usually goes away in a few minutes after you rest or take
your angina medicine. Stable angina is not a heart attack but makes it
more likely that you will have a heart attack in the
future.
. Unstable angina. Unstable angina is a very dangerous condition that requires emergency treatment. It is a sign that a heart attack could occur soon. Unlike stable angina, it does not follow a pattern. It can occur without physical exertion and is not relieved by rest or medicine.
. Variant angina. Variant angina is rare. It usually occurs at rest. The pain can be severe and usually occurs between midnight and early morning. It is relieved by medicine. Not all chest pain or discomfort is angina. Chest pain or discomfort can be caused by a heart attack, lung problems (such as an infection or a blood clot), heartburn, or a panic attack.
When will you get angina?
Most angina is due to disease of the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis) that results when the arteries become furred up with fatty deposits However, other problems may also be the cause of angina these conditions include:
. High blood pressure,
. Diabetes,
. Smoking,
. High cholesterol level,
. Menopause in women, and
Family members who have had heart disease at a young age
How do you know if your pain is angina?Angina can bother you when you are doing activities like walking, climbing stairs, exercising or cleaning. The pain of angina may make you sweat or make it hard to catch your breath. You may feel pain in your arm or neck as well as in your chest. If the pain is mild, it may go away after a minute or so of rest. If the pain is more severe, medicine may be needed. A medicine called nitroglycerin often is used to treat severe angina.
What tests might doctor do? An electrocardiogram, (sometimes called an EKG or ECG), is a simple test that can show if your heart or arteries have been damaged. If the EKG is done while you are having angina, it can also show if your pain is caused by a problem with your heart The next step after an EKG may be a stress test. Often, this test is done while you walk on a treadmill. Your doctor will look at your stress test to see if it's abnormal when you exercise. Your doctor may also have x-rays of the heart taken before and after you exercise. These pictures can show if an area of the heart is not getting enough blood during exercise. If this is so, it may mean that the arteries supplying blood to your heart are blocked.Another important test is cardiac catheterization. In this test, a very long and very thin tube is inserted through an artery in the arm or leg and then guided into the heart. Dye is injected into the arteries around the heart. X-rays are taken. The x-rays will show it if any of the arteries that supply the heart are blocked.
How can you prevent heart disease? The best ways to prevent heart disease are to control high blood pressure, diabetes or a high cholesterol level and, if you smoke, to stop smoking. Maintaining a healthy diet, a healthy weight and a regular exercise program can help you avoid heart disease.
How is heart disease treated? Most people with heart disease take medicine to control their condition. Medicines called beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and nitrates can help relieve angina. Taking low-dose aspirin every day can reduce the chance of a second heart attack in people who have already had one.
Written By: Neha Maheshwari Neha Maheshwari is working with heart centre.
Email: maheshwari_neha_83@yahoo.com
Note: The views expressed in this article are strictly those of the writer and 123oye does not take any responsibility for them. Follow them at your own risk.
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