Angina Symptoms
Angina, or angina pectoris, refers to symptoms such as chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Angina is often the first sign of
heart disease. Angina
occurs when fatty deposits build up in the arteries that carry blood to your heart, narrowing them and temporarily restricting blood flow to your heart, especially during times of exertion. Restricted blood flow to your heart can cause recurrent episodes of chest pain, angina pectoris, or angina. Narrowed and blocked arteries are usually due to a gradual buildup of these fatty deposits called plaque inside the arteries. This process is called
atherosclerosis.
People with angina usually feel discomfort, often a pressure-like pain in or around the chest, shoulders, jaw, neck, back or arms. It may feel like a squeezing, pressing sensation in the chest. Angina pain is usually caused and made worse by exercise and eased by rest. The pain usually lasts 2-5 minutes.
Symptoms and signs that your angina is very serious and you may be having a heart attack. If you have any of these signs, call
911 immediately:
- Pain or discomfort that is very bad, gets worse, and lasts longer than 20 minutes.
- Pain or discomfort along with weakness, feeling sick to your stomach, sweating, or fainting.
- Pain or discomfort that does not go away when you take angina medicine.
- Pain or discomfort that is worse than you have ever had before.
Pain in your chest can be severe. It can be difficult to interpret. The cause of the pain could be something as simple as heartburn or as serious as a heart attack.
If you experience unexplained and persistent chest pain or a feeling of pressure or tightness in your chest particularly if it's accompanied by other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness or pain that radiates beyond your chest to one or both of your arms or your neck,
seek emergency medical care immediately. A trip to the emergency room could save your life,
or bring you peace of mind.
Angina to Symptoms A
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