Angina is chest pain that comes and goes. There are several types of angina. Stable angina (angina pectoris) is the most common type, and it’s caused by coronary artery disease. Rest and medication can ease your angina and im-prove your quality of life. Severe or unexpected angina signals a heart attack and needs immediate medical care.
About 10 million people in the U.S. experience angina. So, if you have this symptom, you’re certainly not alone. It’s important to learn more about angina, what causes it and how to manage it in your daily life.
Important: Angina can be a warning sign of a heart attack. If you have unexpected or severe chest pain, call 911 right away.
Most people with angina describe having chest pain or pressure. Or they describe a squeezing sensation or a tight-ness in their chest. Some people say it feels like indigestion. Others say it’s hard to describe angina with words.
The discomfort usually begins behind your breastbone. Sometimes, you may not be able to locate exactly where the pain is coming from.
Pain/discomfort you feel in your chest may spread to other parts of your upper body. These include your neck, jaw, shoulders, arms, back or belly.
Lack of oxygen to your heart can cause other symptoms, known as “angina equivalents.”
Angina pectoris is another name for stable angina. It refers to brief chest pain or discomfort that comes and goes in predictable patterns.
Both angina and a heart attack are consequences of coronary artery disease. But angina doesn’t cause permanent damage to your heart. A heart attack does. That’s because angina signals a temporary reduction in blood flow to your heart. A heart attack causes a longer reduction in blood flow. During that time, part of your heart muscle begins to die.
Another key difference is what makes the pain go away. Rest or medication (nitroglycerin) causes stable angina to go away within a few minutes. However, if you’re having a heart attack, rest or medication won’t ease your symptoms.
