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Angina

ANGINA IS . . .Angina is Latin for chest pain and is the first symptom of Coronary Artery Disease. Angina is characterized as chest pain located over the sternum (breast bone) that sometimes radiates across the chest, to the jaw or back or to either arm. It is a sign of increased clogging of the arteries that supply blood to the heart causing decreased blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart.SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANGINA:

  • Pressure, mild ache, squeezing or tightness in the chest.
  • Difficulty breathing, usually sudden in nature.
  • Chest pain that is similar to indigestion, usually recurrent.
  • Chest pain that radiates to the jaw, teeth or earlobes.
  • Heaviness, numbness, tingling or ache in the arm, shoulder, elbow or hand, usually on the left side.
  • Pain between the shoulder blades.
  • A choking sensation in the throat.

DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES:

  • Observation of your symptoms.
  • Medical history and physical exam by a doctor.
  • Blood tests, Stress test, ECG, Chest x-ray.
ANGINA IS TREATED BY:Treatment includes a healthy diet, moderate exercise, other lifestyle changes and the possible use of the following medications:
  • Beta blockers, which decrease oxygen consumption of the heart;
  • Calcium channel blockers, which decrease oxygen needs while increasing oxygen supply to the heart;
  • Nitroglycerin, which stops or decreases the chest pain; and
  • Nitrates, which lower blood pressure.
Surgical treatments include:
  • Angioplasty which compresses the blockage in the arteries; and
  • Coronary artery bypass grafts that borrow blood vessels from another part
    • of the body to replace the blocked arteries.
PREVENTION:
  • Obtain medical treatment for underlying causes or risks.
  • Eat a diet that is low in fat and low in salt. Lose weight if you
    • are Overweight.
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Avoid activities that spur angina attacks.

Only your health care provider is qualified to diagnose and treat angina.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET GO TO . . .

American Heart Association, Angina
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4472
http://216.185.112.5/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4496

Medline Plus- National Institutes of Health
http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docid=511264

Aetna Intelihealth - Harvard Medical School
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/8059/8059.html
and http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH?t=9454&p=~br,IHW|~st
,8059|~r,WSIHW000|~b,*|

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
 http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Angina/Angina_WhatIs.html

Healthy Heart Nutrition
http://www.healthyfridge.org

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