5 Frequently Asked Questions About Angina Pectoris

Angina Pectoris (Latin for squeezing of the chest) is a condition where the sufferer feels discomfort around his chest which manifests as the squeezing, burning, choking, tightness, heaviness, or pressure sensation. Sometimes, the sensations can be felt in other body parts including the jaw, shoulders, neck, or back. What causes angina, how great is your chance of getting the disease, and what is the best treatment for the illness? Read five frequently asked questions below to satisfy your inquiries about the disease.

1. What causes angina?

Commonly, angina pectoris is caused by coronary artery disease. As cholesterol plaque narrows the coronary arteries, the buildup blocks the supply of blood oxygen towards the heart muscle during exercise or stress. This lack of oxygen to the heart muscles triggers the chest pain or angina. Other less common cause of the disease is the coronary artery spasm. When the muscle fibers of the artery walls contract rapidly, the spasm reduces the blood supply to the heart muscle thus causing angina.

2. Who are most likely to suffer from angina?

People who are at high risk of chest pain are men above 55 years old and women around 65 years old. Other factors which heighten your risk of the disease are cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, kidney disease, obesity, inactive life, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol levels, and family history of premature cardiovascular disease.

3. What are the types of angina pectoris?

The disease is divided into two types; the chronic stable and the unstable anginas.

- Chronic stable angina occurs typically when your heart needs more oxygen during exercise or stress. The pain will lessen when you are taking a rest.

- Unstable angina can occur at anytime and will not lessen even when you are resting. This type of chest pain is dangerous and can be the symptom of more serious health problem such as heart attack.

4. How to treat the disease?

Chronic stable angina can be treated with resting and medications such as nitroglycerin (either tablet or spray), beta blockers (i.e. acebutolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, metoprolol, nadolol, propanolol, and timolol), calcium channel blockers (i.e. amlodipine, bepridil, diltiazem, felodipine, isradipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, and verapamil), or ranolazine (ranexa). If you are diagnosed with unstable angina, you need to visit your physician to get the right treatment for the problem.

5. How to prevent angina?

The best way to prevent the disease is by changing your lifestyle. You can start doing it today by:

- Stopping cigarette smoking,
– Eating healthy diet which contains low saturated fat, high fiber, and lots of fruits and vegetables,
– Exercising regularly,
– Avoiding stress,
– Maintaining normal weight,
– Treating conditions which can increase your chance of getting the symptom such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels.p style=”text-align: justify;”

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