Among the various health conditions plaguing the medical industry today, angina is quite a peculiar one. Patients often fail to spot and differentiate, including addressing angina symptoms from those of ordinary left side pain, attack, stroke, or pain arising from indigestion and acid reflux. However, research has shown that patients are often considerably conscious of their ailment and readily address the symptoms using prescribed clinical diagnoses.
Angina (also referred to as Angina Pectoris) may be a sort of pain caused by reduced blood flow to the cardiac muscles.
What Causes Angina?
Angina is especially caused by coronary artery disease. The latter is related to increased fatty deposits (plaques) on the inner walls of the coronary arteries, thus narrowing them. This restricts adequate blood flow during a given time and reduces oxygen supply to the cardiac muscles. This, in turn, contributes to the formation of three sorts of angina under varying circumstances:
Stable Angina
It is caused by physical overexertion when the increased requirement for cardiac blood supply is restricted by the narrowed coronary arteries. Besides workout, over-eating, emotional stress, anxiety, extreme cold, tobacco addiction, etc. also are liable for causing stable angina.
- Caused by rapid heartbeat during physical exertions
- The frequency and patterns are usually predictable
- Lasts for fewer than 5mins
- Disappears with rest or medication
Unstable Angina
It occurs when the fatty deposits (plaques) rupture and a blo0d clot is made, thus blocking the artery altogether. This severely decreases the blood flow to the cardiac muscles.
- Develops even when you’re at rest
- Shows deviation from the standard pattern of angina
- Occurs unexpectedly
- Comes with more severity than stable angina
- Lasts for quite 30mins
[Note: Unstable angina a warning symptom of a possible heart attack]
Variant Angina (Prinzmetal’s Angina)
It is caused by spasms within the coronary arteries, thus temporarily narrowing them. This leads to decreased blood flow to the guts, causing pain. white plague, smoking, stress, etc. are mainly liable for variant angina.
- Happens when you’re at rest
- Usually severe in nature
- May or may not answer medications
Some clinically recommended diagnostic procedures of Angina include:
- Electrocardiogram
- Stress Test
- Echocardiogram
- Nuclear stress test
- Chest X-ray
- Coronary Angiography
- Cardiac computed tomography (CT)
- Cardiac MRI
How To Treat Angina?
Doctors usually recommend the subsequent methods for treating angina:
- Working on tobacco addiction
- Engaging in clinically prescribed weight loss programs
- Taking a diet rich in whole wheat, fruits and vegetables
- Ensuring adequate mental and physical rest
- Controlling and monitoring vital sign and sugar levels
- Abstaining from over-eating
- Minimizing alcohol consumption
- Reducing workplace stress
Medications
When lifestyle changes fail to point out results, the subsequent medications are prescribed:
- Nitrates
- Aspirin
- Clot Preventing Drugs
- Beta-Blockers
- Statins
- Calcium Channel blockers
- Blood Pressure Lowering Medicines
- Ranolazine
Surgeries
When both lifestyle changes and medications fail, the subsequent surgeries are prescribed:
- Angioplasty
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Things to recollect
You must understand that angina isn't a disease in itself. it's a sign of deteriorating cardiac health, and also of a possible attack in severe cases. It's thus clinically recommended to spot the symptoms and immediately choose diagnostic procedures, rather than overlooking them. Also, when under treatment, all the activities, medications and surgeries should be strictly validated and monitored by doctors.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/angina/diagnosis-treatmen...
https://www.southerncross.co.nz/group/medical-library/angina-causes-symp...
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