what is angina pectoris?

what is angina pectoris?

Angina pectoris a clinical syndrome characterized by pain or discomfort typically in the chest, shoulder, jaw, back, left arms and atypically in epigastric region. These symptoms can occur elicited by physical activity or emotional stress, maybe relieve by rest or nitroglycerin. A man who first introduced term angina pectoris was William Heberden in 1772, he used “angina pectoris” to explain the chest pain associated with the level of stress and excessive physical activity, even though pathological etiology was not recognized until several years later.

Angina pectoris has three types, they are:

•  Stable angina

Stable angina is the most common type. It occur when heart muscle work harder than usual. For example heavy exercise like athletes do. Usually stable angina relieve by rest and medicines.

•    Unstable angina

Unstable angina is a dangerous condition. It may occur without physical exercise and suddenly occur when the patient take a rest. Unstable angina is a signal that blockage of the coronary arteries and this condition may lead to heart attack.

•  Variant angina

Variant angina is rare. It can occur when you are resting. Variant angina is usually caused by coronary artery spasm.

Chest pain symptoms, angina-like, may seem in some cases that is not only heart origin, but may triggered from other organs like esophagus, lung, or chest wall. Actually angina pectoris is a symptom that arises due to condition called myocardial ischemia. Myocardial ischemia is reduction of oxygen in the heart muscle. Why the heart muscle can lack of oxygen supply? Many conditions may causes lack of oxygen supply to organ tissue, such as reduced blood oxygen levels due to anemia, increased demand of oxygen than its supply due to heavy exercise, and blockage of the coronary arteries due to plaque formation or thrombus.

Most common cause of myocardial ischemia is coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis is narrowing of the lumen of the vessel due to formation arterial plaque that takes several decades. Plaque formation triggered by an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking, high calories and fat intake, lazy to exercise and high stress levels.

This is important that if you have an angina or chest discomfort that does not subside with rest, go to emergency department to get proper treatment immediately.