Angina pain can vary from person to person in terms of severity, frequency, and accompanying symptoms. Regardless, you should not take this condition lightly, as it could be a warning sign of a serious health problem.
1. What is angina?
Angina pectoris is a painful, tight, and heavy feeling in the chest that occurs when coronary arteries narrow or become blocked, preventing the heart muscle from receiving enough blood or even cutting off blood supply altogether. If this condition persists, the heart muscle will be damaged and weakened, and in more severe cases, necrosis may occur. At this point, the patient will face many dangerous complications, including stroke and death.
Based on the cause and severity, angina is divided into the following two common types.
- Stable angina : This occurs when atherosclerotic plaques form in the coronary arteries, narrowing the lumen. Under normal conditions, the arteries adequately meet the needs of the heart muscle. However, when the patient overexerts themselves or experiences strong emotional events, the arteries constrict, causing further narrowing or increased oxygen demand from the heart muscle. Consequently, the coronary arteries cannot meet the heart muscle's needs, leading to episodes of angina. Once the events pass, the pain quickly subsides.
- Unstable angina : Occurs suddenly and at any time. It is caused by the detachment of atherosclerotic plaques or the formation of blood clots in the coronary arteries, leading to partial or complete narrowing of the arterial branch, causing myocardial ischemia. The pain is prolonged, and if not treated promptly, the patient is in danger.
Angina pectoris is a warning sign of an underlying health problem that should not be ignored.
2. Causes and symptoms of angina
Coronary artery disease is a major cause of angina . Specifically, when coronary arteries narrow or become blocked due to fatty deposits or blood clots, it obstructs blood flow. This reduces blood flow to the heart muscle, preventing the heart from receiving enough oxygen and nutrients, resulting in pain.
In addition, many factors increase the risk of angina, such as older age, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, a history of stroke, and a family history of cardiovascular disease.
Symptoms of angina include:
- A sharp, strangulated pain in the area behind the sternum.
- The pain radiates from the chest to the shoulder, neck, jaw, and upper abdomen.
- The level of pain remains constant with changes in posture and breathing.
- Chest pain is often accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, and other symptoms.
Some pains last only a few minutes and subside with rest or medication. However, some pains can last for hours and do not improve despite trying various methods. Patients should inform their doctor about this condition to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
The condition and severity of angina vary from person to person.
3. Treatment of angina
If angina attacks occur frequently and are suspected to be due to an underlying medical condition, the doctor will perform diagnostic procedures such as echocardiography, electrocardiogram, liver and kidney function tests, blood glucose levels, etc. After the diagnosis is obtained, the patient will be prescribed the following treatment methods.
Rest
For pain that occurs during exertion, patients should prioritize rest. While resting, the pressure on the heart decreases, thereby alleviating and eliminating the pain.
Use medication
If angina is caused by ischemic heart disease, medication is necessary. Some medications used in this case include aspirin (which prevents blood clot formation in blood vessels), nitrates (which dilate narrowed blood vessels), and beta-blockers (which reduce the workload on the heart and slow its beating).
Vascular intervention
This treatment method is indicated when angina pain does not subside despite medication, rest, and lifestyle changes. Depending on the cause and condition, patients may undergo coronary angioplasty, coronary stenting, or coronary bypass surgery. The goal is to widen and create patency in narrowed or blocked blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily.
Medication is one of the methods for treating angina.
4. Prevention of angina
Even after treatment, angina attacks can recur and cause dangerous complications. Therefore, in your daily life, you need to pay attention to the following things to prevent the pain from "returning" and avoid putting yourself in dangerous situations.
Eliminate risk factors.
Cardiovascular diseases and complications are more likely to occur in people at risk. Therefore, eliminating or minimizing risk factors is also a way to protect cardiovascular health.
- Say no to cigarettes, alcohol, and stimulants.
- Avoid staying up late and overworking or overexerting yourself.
- Avoid prolonged stress and strong emotions.
- Check and monitor blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes.
- Controlling blood cholesterol levels in patients with dyslipidemia.
- Maintaining stable blood pressure is important for patients with hypertension.
Change your diet.
For people with cardiovascular disease, the diet should avoid consuming animal fats and organs, red meat, egg yolks, etc. Focus on supplementing with healthy foods such as green vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, salmon, tuna, olive oil, almond oil, etc.
Exercise every day.
A common mindset among people with heart disease is fear of exercise, avoiding physical activity for fear of causing their heart to beat faster and leading to complications. However, doctors still encourage patients to engage in daily physical activity with moderate exercises such as walking, yoga, etc., and the exercise time doesn't need to be excessive, just 30 minutes a day or until they feel a sweat.
Gentle and regular exercise every day helps prevent disease.
We have explored angina in detail. If you frequently experience this pain, please seek medical attention promptly. One of the quality clinics you can choose is the Cardiology Department of the MEDLATEC Healthcare System. Please call 1900 56 56 56 to schedule an appointment today.
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