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| 2007-08-20 general | | Angina Pectoris | | Definition | | | | Angina pectoris is a common manifestation of coronary artery disease. The pain is caused by reduced blood flow to a segment of heart muscle (myocardial ischemia). It usually lasts for only a few minutes, and an attack is usually quickly relieved by rest or drugs (such as nitroglycerin). Also, it is possible to have myocardial ischemia without experiencing angina.
Typically, angina is described as a "pressure" or "squeezing" pain that starts in the center of the chest and may spread to the shoulders or arms (most often on the left side, although either or both sides may be involved), the neck, jaw or back. It is usually triggered by extra demand on the heart: exercise, an emotional upset, exposure to cold, digesting a heavy meal are common examples.
Some people experience angina while sleeping or at rest. This type of angina may be caused by a spasm in a coronary artery, which most commonly occurs at the site of atherosclerotic plaque in a diseased vessel.
Most people with angina learn to adjust their lives to minimize attacks. There are cases, however, when the attacks come frequently and without provocation - a condition known as unstable angina. This is often a prelude to a heart attack and requires special treatment, primarily with drugs. Angina affects both men and women, usually in middle age. Men are much more likely than women to experience it before age 60. It may develop weeks, months or even years before a heart attack, or may be experienced only after a heart attack has occurred.
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