Angina

Summary

Angina is chest pain or discomfort you feel when there is not enough blood flow to your heart muscle. Your heart muscle needs the oxygen that the blood carries. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. It may feel like indigestion. You may also feel pain in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back.

Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common heart disease. CAD happens when a sticky substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, reducing blood flow.

There are three types of angina:

• Stable angina is the most common type. It happens when the heart is working harder than usual. Stable angina has a regular pattern. Rest and medicines usually help.
• Unstable angina is the most dangerous. It does not follow a pattern and can happen without physical exertion. It does not go away with rest or medicine. It is a sign that you could have a heart attack soon.
• Variant angina is rare. It happens when you are resting. Medicines can help.

Not all chest pain or discomfort is angina. If you have chest pain, you should see your health care provider.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Encyclopedia

• Acute coronary syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
• Angina – what to ask your doctor Medical Encyclopedia
• Apolipoprotein B100 Medical Encyclopedia
• Apolipoprotein CII Medical Encyclopedia
• Coronary artery spasm Medical Encyclopedia

Specifics

• Acute Coronary Syndrome American Heart Association
• Microvascular Angina American Heart Association
• Prinzmetal’s or Prinzmetal Angina, Variant Angina, and Angina Inversa American Heart Association
• Unstable Angina American Heart Association
• What Is a Coronary Artery Spasm? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Find an Expert

• American Heart Association American Heart Association
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

• Angina American Academy of Family Physicians
• Angina Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Angina (Chest Pain) American Heart Association
• Angina Pectoris (Stable Angina) American Heart Association
• What Is Angina? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Patient Handouts

• Angina – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Angina – when you have chest pain Medical Encyclopedia
• Coronary angiography Medical Encyclopedia
• Electrocardiogram Medical Encyclopedia
• Living with heart disease and angina Medical Encyclopedia
• Stable angina Medical Encyclopedia
• Unstable angina Medical Encyclopedia

Women

• Angina in Women Can Be Different than Men American Heart Association

Treatments and Therapies

• Angina Treatment: Stents, Drugs, Lifestyle Changes — What’s Best? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Calcium Channel Blockers Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Nitrates Texas Heart Institute
• Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization Texas Heart Institute

Diagnosis and Tests

• Chest Pain Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Heart Health Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• Radionuclide Ventriculography or Radionuclide Angiography (MUGA Scan) American Heart Association
• Troponin Test National Library of Medicine

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Angina Pectoris National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Microvascular Angina National Institutes of Health

Statistics and Research

• Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics American Heart Association

Reference Desk

• Heart Information Center Texas Heart Institute

Journal Articles

• Angina