Angina Symptoms and Treatment

If you've ever had pain in your chest then you've probably heard the term "angina". Literally, angina is Latin for "squeezing of the chest". Angina is caused when the heart is not getting the vital oxygen that it requires. Therefore, angina is a symptom of an underlying condition involving the heart. Any condition involving your heart should be taken very seriously and you should be under a physicians care for treatment. But does it mean your having a heart attack? Possibly, but not certainly.

At the first onset of any type of chest pain - heavy, sharp, stabbing, burning or crushing - you should immediately seek medical care for evaluation. There is no conclusive way to know without medical testing if you are, or are not, having a heart attack. Once in the emergency department you will be given an electrocardiogram and blood tests to determine if a heart attack has occurred. After a heart attack has been completely ruled out yet chest pain occasionally recurs, then your health care practitioner might diagnose you with either stable, or unstable, angina.

Stable angina is the most common type and it usually follows a regular pattern. Patients suffering from stable angina can usually associate its onset with particular activities like physical exertion or emotional stress. They likely can counteract these events to avoid experiencing pain. Stable angina is fleeting; lasting seconds to minute, and is relieved with rest and/or medication. While it isn't a heart attack, stable angina could be a pre-cursor. If you have stable angina but it doesn't go away with rest, lasts more than a few minutes, and/or is not relieved with your angina medication then medical attention should be sought immediately.

Unstable angina doesn't follow a pattern. It can strike anytime, anywhere, and is an ominous sign that a heart attack is imminent or occurring. Unstable angina may also have associated symptoms like nausea, shortness of breath and pain radiating down either arm or up into the jaw. If you have any of these symptoms with your angina you should call emergency personnel immediately.