{"id":4362,"date":"2023-04-19T16:23:48","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T15:23:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/?page_id=4362"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:33:15","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:33:15","slug":"angina","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/angina\/","title":{"rendered":"Angina"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Arteries & circulation<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Angina<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What is angina?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Your heart is supplied with blood by your coronary arteries, which wrap around the outside of the heart muscle and bring it the oxygen it needs to function.\u00a0<\/p>

If your coronary arteries are clogged or narrowed, and your heart is not getting enough oxygen, you may experience a kind of chest pain known as angina<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>

Angina<\/strong> is usually, but not always, caused by coronary artery disease –\u00a0 atherosclerosis that has narrowed or blocked your coronary arteries. It can also be caused by functional problems that restrict blood flow and by blood vessel spasms.<\/p>

For more information about atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, take a look at our Atherosclerosis<\/a> section.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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There are four main types of angina<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>

  • Stable <\/strong>and unstable angina <\/strong>are caused by coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries)<\/span><\/li>
  • Microvascular angina<\/strong> is caused by problems in the smaller vessels that branch off your main coronary arteries<\/span><\/li>
  • Variant<\/strong>, or <\/span>Prinzmetal<\/strong>, <\/span>angina <\/strong>is caused by coronary artery spasms<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

    People who experience angina<\/strong> describe it as a feeling of pressure or tightness in the center of the chest that, when it\u2019s at its worst, can be like having <\/span>their chest squeezed <\/span>in a vise. The discomfort often spreads to the neck, shoulders, back, arms, or jaw.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

    Attacks of angina<\/strong> can also come with symptoms like tiredness, nausea, shortness of breath, and excessive sweating.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    What is stable angina?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Stable angina<\/strong> is the most common type of angina.<\/p>

    The pain of stable angina<\/strong> starts when your heart is working harder than usual –\u00a0 when you exercise or if you\u2019re under emotional stress –\u00a0 and then it recedes, usually within five or 10 minutes, once your heart slows down again.<\/p>

    If you repeat the activity your angina will return.\u00a0<\/p>

    Episodes of stable angina<\/strong> can also be caused by being very hot or very cold.<\/p>

    Stable angina<\/strong> typically follows a regular pattern – for example, it happens every time you climb the stairs – and it doesn\u2019t get worse over time.<\/p>

    While it is a symptom of underlying coronary artery disease, an episode of stable angina<\/strong> is not a medical emergency and your doctor will advise you that it can usually be controlled by medication and rest.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Stable angina<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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