![Angina Symptoms and Treatment Autoimmune Treatment and Management](https://www.medicoverhospitals.in/images/articles/angina-causes-symptoms-treatment.webp)
What is Angina?
Angina is a pain or discomfort in the chest that occurs when the heart does not get enough blood that is rich in oxygen. Your heart may, therefore, beat more quickly and forcefully to pump more blood, which would hurt you noticeably. Angina is not an illness. It is a warning indication and symptom of heart disease.
Secure your health with a second opinion. Make informed decisions and book your appointment today!
Get A Second OpinionWhat are the Symptoms Of Angina?
Most angina patients report feeling pressure or pain in their chest, feeling constriction or constriction in their chest, and indigestion to some people. Usually, the pain starts behind your breastbone. Any chest pain or discomfort you experience could radiate to other upper body areas. Your neck, jaw, shoulders, arms, back, or abdomen are some of these.
You might not always be able to pinpoint the precise location of the discomfort.
When oxygen is not delivered to the heart, it might result in additional symptoms that are referred to as "angina equivalents."
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Excessive sweating
What are the 4 Types of Angina?
There are four types of angina:
Stable Angina:
- Angina pectoris, also known as stable angina, is a type of chest discomfort that develops when the heart muscle needs more oxygen than usual but isn't getting it at that particular time due to heart disease.
- Stable angina is a condition characterized by chest pain, breathlessness, lightheadedness, nausea, and fatigue.
- It is often caused by coronary artery disease, which restricts blood flow to the heart muscle due to blood clots or atherosclerosis. Other causes include heart breakdown, heart valve issues, irregular cardiac rhythm, overactive thyroid, and anaemia.
- Treatments may consist of surgical coronary artery bypass, catheter implantation, and coronary angiography.
Unstable Angina:
- Unstable angina is characterized by plaque blockages and, generally, a blood clot in one or more of the arteries that supply your heart (coronary arteries). This prevents your heart muscle from receiving as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs.
- If you do not receive treatment for this type of angina as soon as possible, you put yourself at a significant risk of having a heart attack.
- Unstable angina is a condition characterized by chest pain, breathlessness, and persistent chest pain even after medication. It is caused by coronary artery disease, a buildup of plaque in the arteries that obstructs blood flow.
- Risk factors for coronary artery disease include high cholesterol, not exercising, being male, elevated blood pressure, reaching adulthood, having a family history of early heart disease, being diabetic, smoking, and being overweight.
- Treatments for unstable angina may include medications to dissolve blood clots, angioplasty combined with stent placement, and heart bypass treatment.
Microvascular Angina:
- Microvascular angina, often known as chest pain, is a form of angina that is brought on by issues that occur in the coronary arteries' tiniest blood vessels. Women have microvascular angina more frequently than men do.
- Microvascular angina is a heart condition characterized by chest discomfort, sweat, vertigo, nausea, stomach ache, and trouble breathing. It can be caused by vessels failing to enlarge to their proper size, such as vascular spasms. Secondary microvascular angina is associated with autoimmune disorders or other heart conditions like cardiomyopathy.
- Treatment for microvascular angina includes lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, consuming a heart-healthy diet, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, sleeping, controlling stress, and managing additional medical issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Common medications for both microvascular and regular angina include calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, nitroglycerin, nitrates, and, occasionally, estrogen.
Variant Angina:
- Variant angina is a kind of angina that is highly uncommon and can sometimes be quite severe.
- Prinzmetal's angina, angina inversa, and vasospastic angina are other names for Variant angina. Usually, it occurs when you're sleeping or taking a break between midnight and the following day.
- Prinzmetal angina is a condition characterized by chest soreness, recurring episodes of pain, and symptoms such as sweating, nausea, and vertigo. Causes include drugs designed to narrow blood arteries, tobacco use, tension, cold weather, and exercise.
- Treatment involves medication like nitrates, calcium channel blockers, and statin drugs like fluvastatin. Lifestyle changes include quitting smoking and abstaining from drugs that cause twitching. Heart-healthy eating and activity habits are also recommended to prevent clogged arteries. The prognosis is worse for those with both coronary artery disease and Prinzmetal angina.
What are the Differences Between Stable and Unstable Angina?
Stable angina is characterized by predictable chest pain or discomfort that occurs with exertion and is released by rest. On the other hand, unstable angina is characterized by chest pain or discomfort that may occur at rest, with minor exercise, or with increasing severity and length. Stable angina is diagnosed when the chest pain or discomfort is relieved by rest. While stable angina can be treated with medication, lifestyle modifications, and other therapies to lower the risk of consequences, unstable angina necessitates prompt medical attention.
What are the Critical Differences Between Angina and Myocardial Infarction?
Although both angina and myocardial infarction, also known as heart attack, reduce the amount of blood flowing to the heart muscle, the symptoms, causes, severity, and consequences of each condition are distinct. Angina can be treated with rest and is usually a warning indication of underlying coronary artery disease. Still, a heart attack is a medical emergency that needs to be treated right away because it can result in permanent damage to the heart muscle.
Angina:
Angina is a chest pain resulting from a lack of oxygen-rich blood supply to the heart muscle. Symptoms include tightness, heaviness, pressure, or squeezing. Caused by coronary artery disease (CAD), angina can be alleviated with rest or prescription drugs. Although not linked to irreversible heart muscle damage, it is a warning indication of underlying coronary artery disease. Recurrent angina attacks may indicate a higher risk of heart attack.
Heart Attack:
A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery suddenly blocks, preventing oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart muscle. Common symptoms include intense chest pain, breathlessness, sweating, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, and soreness in various areas. A thrombus or blood clot caused by a coronary artery plaque rupture obstructs blood flow to the heart muscle, causing damage or death. Prompt medical attention is crucial to reduce harm and improve outcomes, including heart failure, arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, and sudden cardiac arrest.
Ready to take control of your health journey? Book your appointment now and start your path towards wellness today!
Book an AppointmentFrequently Asked Questions
Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood that is rich in oxygen. Symptoms include tightness, heaviness, pressure, or squeezing.
Angina pectoris is a type of angina, also known as stable angina. It develops when the heart muscle needs more oxygen than usual but isn't getting it due to heart disease at that particular time.
Angina itself is not dangerous but is considered to be a warning sign of coronary artery disease. Recurrent angina attacks may indicate a higher risk of heart attack.
The primary cause of angina is coronary artery disease. This happens when plaque accumulation causes the coronary arteries to constrict or get blocked.
Unstable angina is characterized by plaque blockages and, generally, a blood clot in one or more of the arteries that supply your heart (coronary arteries). This prevents your heart muscle from receiving as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs
Currently, there is no known cure for angina. However, with the proper care and lifestyle modifications, angina may frequently be effectively controlled, enabling people to continue busy, happy lives.
![Book Free Appointment](https://www.medicoverhospitals.in/images/form_person.webp)
Categories
- Cardiology 84
- Dermatology 45
- Endocrinology 33
- ENT 16
- Fertility 190
- Gastroenterology 78
- General-Medicine 81
- Gynecology 80
- Hematology 19
- Infectious-Diseases 33
- Neurology 52
- Oncology 34
- Ophthalmology 23
- Orthopedics 69
- Pediatrics 31
- Procedure 23
- Public-Health 144
- Pulmonology 59
- Radiology 8
- Urology 68
- Wellness 161
- Woman-and-child 77