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Angina,
or angina pectoris, is the medical term for chest pains behind the breastbone.
Angina pectoris is Latin for squeezing of the chest. Angina is a specific type
of pain in the chest caused by inadequate blood flow
through the blood vessels (coronary vessels) of the heart muscle (myocardium).
Angina, characterized by chest pain, is a symptom of a condition called myocardial
ischemia, which occurs when the heart muscle isn't getting as much
blood as it needs to function.
Angina is not a disease itself. It is the primary symptom of coronary
artery disease. Angina can also be a warning sign of heart attack. Angina
usually indicates a partial blockage in blood flow to the heart.
Angina is more common and more intense in men than in women. Doctors are uncertain whether this occurs because women tolerate pain better than men, or whether women unconsciously lower their physical activity to avoid attacks of angina.
Angina attacks in men usually occur after the age of 30 and are nearly always caused by coronary artery disease (CAD). For women, angina tends to occur later in life.
Coronary artery spasm may occur spontaneously, or it may be caused by exposure to cold, emotional stress, or vasoconstricting medications. Cocaine use can cause severe spasm of the arteries while at the same time increasing the energy requirements of the heart. Variant angina is a syndrome, probably involving coronary artery spasm, where the angina pain does not have the usual triggering activities. It most often affects women under 50.
Symptoms of Angina
The most common symptoms of angina are:
- Increased
heart rate.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Chest pain described as a feeling of tightness,
pressure, heaviness, squeezing, or burning. This pain is usually on the left side
and radiates to the lower jaw, neck, shoulder, back, arm, or hand.
Other symptoms of angina include burning in throat, feelings of indigestion and shortness of breath.
What
causes Angina? Atherosclerosis
is the leading cause of angina. However, in some cases, angina is caused
by spasms of the muscles that control blood flow in the arteries. This is called
variant angina. These attacks may occur even when a person is at rest. Angina
and can be treated. Most angina attacks usually last for only a few minutes,
and most can be relieved by rest. Other treatment techniques are lowering
high blood pressure and following a diet with low fat intake.
Angina can also be caused by large meals, which place an immediate demand upon the heart for more oxygen.
Types
of Angina
There
are different types of angina. The two major types are Variant angina
pectoris and Microvascular angina. Variant
angina is a rare form of angina that is caused by coronary spasms (vasospasm).
The coronary spasm contracts the muscles in the wall of an artery in the heart
making the artery constrict. When the artery constricts, blood flow through
the artery is either stopped or slowed. When this occurs, the heart does not get
enough blood. Variant angina may happen in patients who also have severe atherosclerosis
in at least one major vessel. Unlike typical angina, variant angina usually occurs
during times of rest. Variant angina attacks are often very painful, and the
attacks happen more often between midnight and 8 in the morning. Usually the attacks
happen at the same time each day.
Coronary
artery spasm may occur from many different stimulants. Its may occur spontaneously
or it may be caused by exposure to cold, emotional stress, or vaso-constricting
medications. Cocaine use will increase the chances of having angina. The
chance of an angina attack increase because cocaine can cause severe spasm of
the arteries while at the same time increasing the energy requirements of the
heart.
Patients
with variant angina have a greater risk for heart attack, an irregular heartbeat
(arrhythmia), and even sudden death. Those who
survive a heart attack usually stabilize. Many patients who suffer from angina
find that the symptoms and events of variant angina slowly go away. Microvascular
angina is a recently discovered type of angina. Patients suffering
from microvascular angina have chest pain but do not seem to have a blockage in
a coronary artery. The pain in the chest is because the tiny blood vessels that
feed the heart, arms, and legs are not working properly. Generally, patients cope
well with this type of angina and have very few long-term side effects.
Angina Statistics - About
6,300,000 people in the United States suffer from angina.
- Each
year, 350,000 new cases of angina occur.
- Angina
affects approximately 4 out of 100,000 people.
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