Page contents
- What is angina pectoris?
- symptoms
- Causes and risk factors
- Multiples
- Diagnosis
- treatment
- protection
- Alternative therapies
Angina pectoris is a symptom caused by a decrease in blood flow to the heart muscle, due to a coronary artery problem. When the heart muscle (Myocardium) does not get enough oxygen-rich blood, this leads to chest pain described Usually it is pressure or heaviness that tends to the left side of the chest.
Types of angina pectoris
There are several types of angina, as follows:
- Stable angina pectoris.
- Unstable angina pectoris.
- Vasospastic angina.
Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate angina from other chest pains. Therefore, it is best to visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Angina pectoris symptoms
The symptoms of angina pectoris are divided according to the type, as follows:
stable angina pectoris
Symptoms are described as follows:
- An increase in the heart rate when doing physical activity, such as: climbing stairs.
- Pain that lasts less than 5 minutes and goes away after resting, or after taking medicine for angina.
- Pain spreading to the arms, back, and other areas of the body.
- Psychological or emotional stress for the patient.
Unstable angina pectoris
Symptoms are described as follows:
- Pain even at rest, lasting longer, may last up to 30 minutes
- The pain does not go away after resting, or after taking medications.
- Sometimes a serious heart attack.
Variable angina
It is described as follows:
- Pain at rest, which can be relieved with medication.
- Heart attack.
Causes and risk factors for angina pectoris
Decreased blood flow to the heart muscle is the main cause of angina, as the blood carries the oxygen needed for the heart to work, and when the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen, a condition called ischemia occurs.
Decreased blood flow to the heart muscle occurs due to coronary artery disease (CAD - Coronary artery disease). These heart arteries become more narrow due to the accumulation of fats or the so-called plaque, causing atherosclerosis and angina pectoris.
Factors that increase the risk of angina pectoris
There are many factors that increase the risk of developing angina, such as the following:
- smoking.
- high blood pressure;
- Hypercholesterolemia.
- Hypertriglyceridemia.
- Lack of physical activity.
- Obesity.
- Diabetes (Diabetes).
- Stress.
- alcoholic beverages;
Angina pectoris complications
Complications of angina pectoris include:
- Difficulty doing simple daily activities, such as walking.
- heart attack;
Diagnosis of angina pectoris
The doctor begins with a physical examination and asks the patient about the symptoms he feels, in addition to some other information, such as: risk factors and family history in relation to heart disease.
Then the doctor asks a series of questions to determine the cause of the pain, such as the following:
- Is it pain, discomfort, tightness, pressure, sharp pain or tingling?
- Where is the location of the pain, and is it concentrated in a specific area?
- Does the pain spread to the neck and arms?
- When and how did the pain begin, and is there a specific cause of the pain? Is the pain gradually increasing? Did it start suddenly?
- How long does the pain last?
- What causes the pain to worsen?
- What relieves the pain, rest, deep breathing, or sitting?
- Are there other symptoms in addition to the pain, such as nausea or dizziness?
- Are there difficulties in swallowing?
- Is there heartburn?
After that, some additional tests can be performed to accurately diagnose the condition, such as the following:
- Electrocardiography - ECG.
- Cardiac stress test (Ergometric Stress Testing).
- Chest X-ray.
- Echocardiogram.
- Radioisotope stress ECG (Radionuclide Scintigraphy).
- Angiography.
- blood tests
Angina pectoris treatment
There are many methods that help in the treatment of angina, which aim to reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms, in addition to reducing the risk of heart attack and the risk of death.
Among these treatments, we mention the following:
1. Make lifestyle changes
Like the following:
- Take a break while doing any physical activity.
- Refrain from eating fatty meals.
- Try to find ways to relax.
- Quit Smoking.
- Ensure that the nutrition is healthy.
- Weight Loss.
2. Taking some angina medications
Like the following:
- Aspirin.
- Nitrates.
- Beta-blockers.
- Statins.
- Calcium channel blockers.
- Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI).
Angioplasty and stent insertion
Through this method, the artery is widened so as to restore blood flow in it as before, but many doctors prefer to resort to medication and change the diet before this procedure, as it is not considered more effective than other treatments.
Angina pectoris prevention
Staying away from the risk factors that cause angina as much as possible helps to prevent it.
Alternative therapies
There are no herbs to treat angina pectoris
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