Angina

Angina information

"If you feel pressure or a squeezing in your chest, it may be angina. It can feel like a heart attack, but often it's a warning sign.

The chest pain happens because there isn't enough blood flowing to part of your heart. It's a symptom of heart disease, and it's occurs when something blocks the arteries or there's a decreased blood flow in the arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to your heart.

Angina usually goes away quickly. Still, it can be a symptom of a life-threatening heart problem. Call your doctor if you have it. It's important to find out what's going on and to talk about what you can do to avoid a heart attack.

There's a lot you can do to stop it from happening. Usually, medicine along with lifestyle changes can control it. If it's more severe, you may need surgery, too. Or you may need what’s called a stent, a tiny tube that props open arteries.

There are different types of angina:

Stable angina is the most common. Physical activity or stress can trigger it. It usually lasts a few minutes, and it goes away when you rest. It isn't a heart attack, but it can be a sign that you're more likely to have one. Tell your doctor if this happens to you.

Unstable angina. You can have this while you're at rest or not very active. The pain can be strong and long-lasting, and come back again and again. It can be a signal that you're about to have a heart attack, so see a doctor right away.

Prinzmetal's angina (also called variant angina) is rare. It might happen at night while you're sleeping or resting. The heart arteries suddenly tighten or narrow. It can cause a lot of pain, and you should get it treated.

Avoid congestive heart failure and chest pain. Careful with heart attack be careful."