What is angina?
(an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. The pain may also occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may also feel like indigestion. Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type of heart disease. CAD occurs when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries. This buildup of plaque is called atherosclerosis. As plaque builds up, the coronary arteries become narrow and stiff. Blood flow to the heart is reduced. This decreases the oxygen supply to the heart muscle. Types of Angina There are 3 types of angina-stable, unstable, and variant (Prinzmetal’s). It is very important to know the differences among the types. Stable angina. Stable angina is the most common type. It occurs when the heart is working harder than usual. • There is a regular pattern to stable angina. • After several episodes, you learn to r
Angina (say: “ann-gye-na”) is a squeezing pain or a pressing feeling in the chest. It is most often caused by blockages in the arteries that supply blood to your heart. This is called coronary artery disease, or heart disease. The symptoms you describe to your doctor will help your doctor decide if you need to be tested for heart disease. Your doctor will also check if you have any conditions that can increase your chance of heart disease.
Angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when an area of your heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood. Angina may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The pain also may occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It can feel like indigestion. Angina itself isn’t a disease. Rather, it’s a symptom of an underlying heart problem. Angina is usually a symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type of heart disease. CAD occurs when a fatty material called plaque (plak) builds up on the inner walls of the coronary arteries. These arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart. When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis (ATH-er-o-skler-O-sis).