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Angina

Angina is chest pain or discomfort you get when your heart muscle does not get enough blood. It may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. It may feel like indigestion. You may also feel pain in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back.

Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common heart disease. CAD happens when a sticky substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, reducing blood flow.

There are three types of angina: stable, unstable and variant. Unstable angina is the most dangerous. It does not follow a pattern and can happen without physical exertion. It is does not go away with rest or medicine. It is a sign that you could have a heart attack soon.

Not all chest pain or discomfort is angina. If you have chest pain, you should see your health care provider.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Angina on Wikipedia

'''Angina pectoris''' (Latin for "chest constriction") is the result of a lack of oxygen supply to the heart muscle, due to a reduced blood flow around the heart's blood vessels. This lack of oxygen to the heart is known as myocardium ischemia. Angina pectoris is a common symptom of myocardial ischemia (most often chest pain). People with coronary artery disease are most often affected by angina. Angina is the most common symptom of myocardial ischemia. It is caused by stimulation of nerve endings in the heart muscle and its blood vessels.

Pathophysiology

Increases in heart rate result in increased oxygen demand by the heart. The heart has a limited ability to increase its oxygen intake during episodes of increased demand. Therefore, an increase in oxygen demand by the heart (e.g., during exercise) has to be met by a proportional increase in blood flow to the heart. Myocardial ischemia can result from: # a reduction of blood flow to the heart caused by the stenosis or spasm of the heart's arteries, # resistance of the blood vessels, or # reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the blood vessels) is the most common cause of stenosis of the heart's arteries and, hence, angina pectoris. Many people with chest pain have normal or minimal narrowing of heart arteries. This has shown that resistance of the blood vessels (abnormal constriction or deficient relaxation of heart vessels) can be responsible for as much as 95% of coronary artery resistance. Myocardial ischemia also can be the result of factors affecting blood composition, such as reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, as seen with severe anemia (low number of red blood cells), or long-term cigarette.

Epidemiology

Roughly 6.3 million Americans are estimated to experience angina. Coronary artery disease is the single most common cause of death in the United States, almost one death per ...   [ Read More ]

External Resources

Clear Your Arteries and Save Your Life - Method of clearing arteries that become blocked either fully or partially with fatty plaque. Information about cholesterol, heart attack, stroke, heart disease, angina, and atherosclerosis.

Kardovite - Herbal products, heart drops, natural herbal medicine for heart disease that may help with clogged arteries, circulation, angina pain and cholesterol levels.

Strauss Heart Drops - Stops angina, unclogs arteries, removes cholesterol from arteries and heart valves.

Vasomedical, Inc. - Develops and markets non-invasive counterpulsation devices which treat cardiac patients suffering from angina pectoris, acute myocardial and cardiogenic shock. (Nasdaq: VASO).

LifeHeart.com - Resources on heart disease, including angina, coronary artery disease, and quality of life for patients and medical professionals.

Mamas Health - Information on angina, myocarditis and rheumatic heart disease.

Cardiologist UK - Dr Diana R Holdright explains about angina, heart disease and cardiological investigations and treatments. Also some details about herself and contact information.

How Stuff Works - Carl Bianco M.D. provides a 6-part graphical in-depth look at heart disease, heart attacks and angina. Topics include atherosclerosis, hypertension, cholesterol, smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus and stress.

American Heart Association - 1998 U.S. heart attack and angina statistics.

Med Info - Information about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of angina pectoris.

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