Page 10 - Mended Hearts-HeartGuide
P. 10
“Any angina is too much.” Angina
Donnette, angina patient
If you have chronic stable angina (also known as “angina”), you are not
Angina is your heart’s alone. There are approximately 9 million people in the United States with
way of telling you it needs chronic angina.
more oxygen.
Angina—pain or discomfort in the chest or other areas of the body—is usually
Learn more about angina, caused by blocked arteries in the heart. Plaque builds up over time in the
including questions to ask your arteries, which as we know is called coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary
health care team, by visiting artery disease (CAD).
www.SpeakFromTheHeart.com.
In CHD, the arteries of the heart become stiff and narrow, making it difficult
for oxygen-rich blood to reach your heart muscle. The lack of oxygen can
cause the discomfort of angina. Angina is your heart’s way of telling you it
needs more oxygen.
Triggers of Angina
Episodes of angina are usually brought on by one of the four “E’s”—exercise,
emotional stress, eating too much, or exposure to extreme cold. Angina usually
goes away with rest or nitroglycerin, medicine used to open blood vessels. If
you have angina that does not resolve with rest or nitroglycerin, you should
seek immediate medical attention by calling 911.
People Experience Angina Differently
Symptoms of angina include discomfort or pain in the chest or surrounding
areas (arm, shoulder, back, neck, or jaw). It can feel like tightness, pressure,
squeezing, or crushing and can spread to the arm, back, jaw, neck, and
shoulder. Some patients may experience feeling faint, tired, out of breath, or as
if they have heartburn.
Diagnosis and Treatment
It’s very important that you share all of the details about your condition
with your health care team members so they can diagnose and manage your
condition. Your doctor will discuss signs of angina to figure out if you have it
or something else. Your health care team will review your personal and family
history, assess risk factors, conduct a physical exam, and may run tests (see
page 20 for common tests and therapies).
Once you are diagnosed with angina, your health care provider should ask you
a number of questions to get a better understanding of your angina, including
your pain level and which treatments made you feel better. Use the notes
section of the HeartGuide to write down your angina symptoms, level of
pain, and related issues and bring the information with you to every exam.
6 Mended Hearts HeartGuide
