Angina

Angina is chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, usually because of narrowed or partially blocked coronary arteries (coronary artery disease). The heart muscle is temporarily starved of oxygen, particularly during exertion or stress when demand increases.

Typical angina feels like pressure, tightness, squeezing, or heaviness in the chest, often radiating to the left arm, neck, jaw, or back. It usually comes on with physical activity or emotional stress and eases with rest or glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) spray within a few minutes. Atypical presentations are more common in women, older people, and people with diabetes.

There are two main types. Stable angina follows a predictable pattern, triggered by known levels of exertion and relieved by rest. Unstable angina is unpredictable, occurs at rest or with minimal exertion, and is a medical emergency requiring immediate assessment as it may indicate an imminent heart attack.

Angina is managed with medications (including beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and nitrates), lifestyle changes, and, where appropriate, coronary angioplasty with stenting or coronary artery bypass surgery. Angina itself does not cause cardiac arrest, but the underlying coronary artery disease that causes angina is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in adults over 35.