Chronic stable angina (patient information)
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Chronic stable angina Microchapters | ||
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Differentiating Chronic Stable Angina from Acute Coronary Syndromes | ||
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Diagnosis | ||
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Alternative Therapies for Refractory Angina | ||
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
What is angina?
Angina is a type of chest pain or discomfort that occurs as a consequence of inadequate blood supply to meet the oxygen requirements of the heart. The chest discomfort is brought on by exertion and is relieved by rest and/or oral medications. It is termed "stable" as the chest discomfort occurs with similar characteristics following similar activities. Stable angina is a warning sign of heart disease and should be evaluated by a doctor.
What are the symptoms of angina?
It's important to know the symptoms of a angina and call 9-1-1 if someone is having them. The most common presentation include:
- Chest discomfort: that is caused by exertion. Other precipitating factors include emotional stress, large meal, cold weather. It is often described as a sense of heaviness, squeezing, pressure, or band like tightness. Most anginal discomfort is located in the center of the chest and lasts no longer than 20 minutes.
- Shortness of breath: You may often feel tired and be short of breath, sweaty, lightheaded, or weak.
- You may also have indigestion or be sick to your stomach.
What are the causes of angina?
Angina is a symptom of underlying coronary artery disease that is characterized by a fatty material called plaque that builds up over many years on the inside walls of the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to your heart).
Who is at risk for stable angina?
- Certain risk factors make it more likely that you will develop coronary artery disease (CAD) and subsequently present with anginal pain.
- Major risk factors for stable angina that you can control include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Overweight and obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes (high blood sugar)
- Risk factors that you can't change include:
- Age,
- Family history of early coronary artery disease.
- Certain CAD risk factors tend to occur together. When they do, it’s called metabolic syndrome. In general, a person with metabolic syndrome is twice as likely to develop heart disease and five times as likely to develop diabetes as someone without metabolic syndrome.
When to seek urgent medical care
You should seek medical care if you are experiencing chest discomfort or chest pain, upper body discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness or fainting, or breaking out in a cold sweat. If the symptoms mentioned above persists for more than 5 minutes even after resting, call 911 immediately as these symptoms could be the signs of a heart attack (also called myocardial infarction or MI) and immediate treatment is essential.