Angina pectoris, or angina, is a set of symptoms resulting from coronary insufficiency. These symptoms are not characteristic as they include, inter alia, feeling short of breath and retrosternal pain that may be mistaken for a myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly diagnose, which will help to implement the appropriate treatment. Find out how to recognize the symptoms and causes of angina.
Angina pectoris , otherwiseangina pectoris , is a set of symptoms resulting from coronary insufficiency, which causes disturbance of the blood supply to the heart muscle along with oxygen and nutrients. If angina is a consequence of chronic coronary insufficiency, it is referred to as stable angina. Unstable angina is said to be the cause of angina.
Angina pectoris (angina pectoris): causes and risk factors
Coronary insufficiency is usually caused by atherosclerosis. Other reasons include spasm, embolism, inflammation or trauma of a coronary artery, arterial thrombosis or aortic dissection.
In young people, the cause of this type of pathology in the cardiovascular system may be regular use of nicotine, caffeine and alcohol, as well as overwork, stress and low physical activity. Risk factors for angina are also:
- obesity
- hypertension
- diabetes
- high blood cholesterol.
An angina attack can also be provoked by physical exertion, the effects of cold or nervousness, as well as by prolonged mental tension and stress.
Angina (angina): symptoms
The symptom of angina is pain, which by patients may be described as pressing, burning or squeezing, or even choking or tearing. This pain is usually located behind the sternum and may radiate to the left shoulder and upper arm, and sometimes to the submaxillary area or the left shoulder blade. It can last from a few to several minutes or even longer, and it does not change depending on the body position or the phase of the respiratory cycle.
The accompanying symptoms are usually general anxiety,palpitations and sometimes feeling short of breath or short of breath.
Angina pectoris (angina pectoris): diagnosis and treatment
In the event of an angina attack, calm the patient and help him take medications prescribed by a doctor to sedate or dilate the coronary vessels. If the attack does not subside, an ambulance should be called.
A series of tests are usually performed in a hospital: resting ECG, exercise ECG, Holter EKG, and resting echocardiography. Scintigraphy and coronography may also be helpful.
Treatment of angina is usually limited to drug therapy. The patient is given, inter alia, antiplatelet drugs, statins, coronary artery drugs with mainly symptomatic effect (nitrates, calcium channel blockers), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) or cytoprotectors.
If drug treatment is unsuccessful, surgical intervention is possible. The most frequently performed procedure is angioplasty, i.e. a procedure that widens diseased arteries, and bypass surgery.
About the author
Monika Majewska A journalist specializing in he alth issues, especially in the areas of medicine, he alth protection and he althy eating. Author of news, guides, interviews with experts and reports. Participant of the largest Polish National Medical Conference "Polish woman in Europe", organized by the "Journalists for He alth" Association, as well as specialist workshops and seminars for journalists organized by the Association.