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| Angina |
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 Angina, or angina pectoris, is another name for heart pain. Angina occurs when an area of your heart muscle does not get enough blood and therefore does not get enough of the oxygen and nutrients that the blood carries. Angina is a warning signal that your body needs to slow down so your heart can get the oxygen it needs.
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| What activities cause angina? |
| Episodes of angina are usually brought on by activities or conditions that cause your heart to beat faster and work harder, such as physical exertion, mental or emotional stress, smoking, large meals or extreme temperatures. Angina usually lasts for a few minutes, but it can last up to a few hours.
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| How often does angina occur? |
| Most people who experience angina will gradually see a pattern form of their episodes of angina. For example, they will be able to predict the approximate frequency of their episodes and recognize the level of exercise or stress they can undergo before the angina begins. When angina occurs like this in a predictable pattern, it is called stable angina.
While most people have stable angina, others may experience a severe or prolonged angina episode or a sudden change to their angina pattern. This is called unstable angina. If you have angina, you should monitor your patterns of angina episodes. If you notice that your angina episodes become more frequent, last longer or occur without exertion, you should consult your physician immediately.
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| What is the difference between angina and a heart attack? |
Angina may sometimes be confused with a heart attack, but there are several differences between the two conditions. For example:
- Angina is only a temporary reduction of the flow of the blood to the heart; a heart attack is a sudden, permanent stopping of the flow of blood to the heart.
- Heart attack chest pain is more severe and lasts longer than chest pain caused by angina.
- Angina pain will go away with rest or medication; heart attack pain does not.
- Both angina and a heart attack can be accompanied by indigestion, sweating or nausea, however, heart attack symptoms are typically milder.
- Angina does not cause permanent damage to the heart muscle; a heart attack causes permanent damage.
Although patients with angina are at risk of having a heart attack, experiencing angina does not necessarily mean that you are going to have a heart attack. In addition, many people have heart attacks without ever experiencing angina. However, if you start experiencing unstable angina, or notice changes to your angina patterns, your risk of a experiencing a heart attack within the next few days or weeks becomes higher.
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| Is angina always a symptom of heart disease? |
There are two types of angina: variant angina (Prinzmetal's angina), and microvascular angina. (This web page focuses on variant angina, and its symptoms, risk factors and treatment.)
- Variant angina occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood because of a blockage in your coronary artery (atherosclerosis). This form of angina is a symptom of heart disease. Microvascular angina, on the other hand, is not related to heart disease.
- Microvascular angina is when your heart muscle does not get enough blood due to the poor functioning of tiny blood vessels that supply your heart, arms or legs with blood function poorly.
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| Symptoms |
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Angina affects each person differently, but if you experience angina you may feel one or more of the following symptoms:
- pain, pressure or a burning sensation under your breastbone
- pain, pressure or a burning sensation extending to your shoulders, back, neck, jaw or down your arm (typically your left arm)
- shortness of breath
- nausea
- profuse sweating
Angina symptoms can be confused with feelings of indigestion, a toothache or an aching jaw. The pain usually lasts for a few minutes, but can last up to a few hours. It will go away when your heart is able to get enough blood and oxygen. Angina can also be relieved by taking medication prescribed by a doctor.
If you experience symptoms of angina, you should describe your symptoms to your physician. Physicians may be able to diagnose angina based on the frequency and severity of your symptoms; however, they may also run one or more tests. These tests can confirm the diagnosis of heart disease or indicate the you hae a different type of medical condition. If you do have heart disease, the tests can also show the amount and severity of the blockages you have, thereby determining the extent of your heart disease and the best course of action for treating it.
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| Risk Factors |
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Angina is a symptom of heart disease, so the risk factors of angina are the same as the risk factors of heart disease. These risk factors influence how your body functions and the extent to which your blood vessels become clogged or blocked. The more risk factors present in your life, the greater the risk to your health.
Although some risk factors cannot be changed, many others can be controlled or changed by you. The best way to help prevent heart disease is to be aware of the risk factors that you cannot control and to control the risk factors you can under the direction of a doctor.
Here are risk factors of heart disease that you can and cannot control. For a more in-depth description of these risk factors, see Risk Factors and Prevention of Heart Disease.| Risk Factors | Controllable | Not Controllable |
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| Heredity | | X |
| Gender | | X |
| Race | | X |
| Age | | X |
| Cigarette smoking | X | |
| Cocaine use | X | |
| Diabetes | X | |
| High blood pressure | X | |
| Excessive stress over a long period of time | X | |
| Blood cholesterol levels | X | |
| Obesity | X | |
| Lack of exercise | X | |
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