What Is Angina Pain?

We hear terms like cardiac arrest, heart attack, and angina pain all the time, but what is angina pain exactly? Cardiac arrest, heart attack, and angina pain are three different things. In this instance, we are going to focus on angina pain and the process taking place within the body when angina pain occurs.

Angina pain is caused when the heart muscle is temporarily deprived of oxygen, causing pain or discomfort in the chest or beneath the sternum. Most of the time angina pain occurs when an individual has been exerting themselves and stress is being placed on the heart, although it can be brought about by emotional stress, drug or alcohol use, or even a heavy meal.

The difference between angina pain and a heart attack is that angina pain improves with rest and does not cause permanent damage to the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is working hard and isn't receiving enough blood flow, pain is felt in the chest as the heart becomes deprived of red blood cells which carry life-sustaining oxygen. Angina pain usually subsides within a few minutes when an individual stops physically exerting themselves.

Just because angina pain improves with rest, doesn't mean it isn't a very serious condition. Angina pain is generally a symptom of Coronary Artery Disease and should be evaluated by a physician. If you are diagnosed as having angina pain, you may be given medication to dilate your blood vessels when you experience symptoms. Nitroglycerine is a vasodilator and is often prescribed for angina pain.

It's very difficult to differentiate between angina pain and the onset of a heart attack, so it's always best to be evaluated by a medical professional if you experience chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, pain that radiates into the shoulders or arms, or sudden fatigue that is unexplainable. When it comes to cardiac problems, it's always best to have symptoms evaluated.

If you ignore angina pain, it could potentially prove to be fatal. Your physician may find other problems when evaluating you for angina pain and sometimes those symptoms are relatively easily treated, but can be very serious if ignored. If you suspect that you are experiencing angina pain, have it checked out by a physician and get treated. People who suffer from angina pain still live healthy and productive lives. The important thing to remember is that people who have angina pain evaluated are the ones who lead healthy lives, people who ignore it sometimes don't. Don't be the person who ignores it until you suffer a heart attack or cardiac arrest. Real men go to the doctor!

Source:

Massachusetts General Hospital