Angina is chest pain or discomfort you get when your heart muscle does not get enough blood. It may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. It may feel like indigestion. You may also feel pain in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back.
Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common heart disease. CAD happens when a sticky substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, reducing blood flow.
There are three types of angina: stable, unstable and variant. Unstable angina is the most dangerous. It does not follow a pattern and can happen without physical exertion. It is does not go away with rest or medicine. It is a sign that you could have a heart attack soon.
Not all chest pain or discomfort is angina. If you have chest pain, you should see your health care provider.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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Angina
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Angina/Angina_WhatIs.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dcisp/Diseases/angina/angina_what.html -
Angina
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/angina/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/anginaspanish/htm/index.htm -
Angina and Heart Disease(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/heartdisease/basics/233.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/heartdisease/basics/233.printerview.html
- Angina(Mayo Clinic) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/angina/DS00994/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Angina Pectoris(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4472
- Public Smoking Bans Work Across the Board(07/30/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67573.html
- Chest Pain(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/chest-pain/DS00016/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- CK-MB Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ckmb/test.html
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Coronary Angiography(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ca/ca_whatis.html
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Echocardiography(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/echo/echo_whatis.html
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Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ekg/ekg_what.html
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Stress Testing(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/stress/stress_whatis.html
- Troponins Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/troponin/test.html
- Angina Pectoris Treatments(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4496
- Angina Treatment: Stents, Drugs, Lifestyle Changes -- What's Best?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/angina-treatment/HB00091/METHOD=print
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Beta-Blockers: Summary of Affordable Alternatives(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/beta_blockers.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_SpanishBBs.pdf
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Calcium Channel Blockers: Summary of Affordable Alternatives(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/calcium_blockers.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_SpanishCCBs.pdf
- Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP)(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=147&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/drugs/glycoprotein-iib-iiia-inhibitors/hic_glycoprotein_iib-iiia_inhibitors.aspx
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Nitrates(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Meds/nitrmeds.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics_Esp/Meds/nitrm_sp.cfm
- Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4782
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Cardiac Rehabilitation(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/rehab/rehab_whatis.html
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Cardiac Rehabilitation(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/cardiacrehabilitation/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/cardiacrehabilitationspanish/htm/index.htm
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Building a Better Life After Heart Disease(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cardiac-rehabilitation/HB00017/METHOD=print
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Cardiac Syndrome X(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Cond/CardiacSyndromeX.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics_Esp/Cond/syndromex_span.cfm
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Coronary Artery Spasm(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Cond/CoronaryArterySpasm.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics_Esp/Cond/corspasm_sp.cfm
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JAMA Patient Page: Acute Coronary Syndromes(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/300/1/132.pdf
- Prinzmetal's Angina(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=74&Itemid=1&option=com_content
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Angina(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/angina/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/anginaspanish/htm/index.htm
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Cardiac Rehabilitation(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/cardiacrehabilitation/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/cardiacrehabilitationspanish/htm/index.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Angina Pectoris(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Angina+Pectoris%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Microvascular Angina(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Microvascular+Angina%22
- 31 Country Study Finds Stable Angina More Common in Women Than Men(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=372
- Acute Coronary Events Decreased after Public Smoking Ban in Italy(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053704
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Chronic stable angina pectoris. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18725007&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Appropriateness criteria for coronary angiography in angina: reliability and validity. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18711152&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Bivalirudin versus unfractionated heparin during percutaneous coronary intervention. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18703471&tool=MedlinePlus
- Angina -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=angina+pectoris[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Cardiovascular Glossary(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Gloss/
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Gloss_Esp/Glossary_sp.cfm
- American Heart Association - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
- Heart Attack and Angina Statistics(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4591
- Cardiac Syndrome X(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=73&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Chest Pain/Angina(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=72&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Mild Heart Attack(Cardiovascular Research Foundation) - http://www.hearthealthywomen.org/index.php?view=article&id=71&Itemid=1&option=com_content
- Chest Pain - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/chestpain.html
- Coronary Artery Disease - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/coronaryarterydisease.html
- Heart Attack - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartattack.html
- Blood, Heart and Circulation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodheartandcirculation.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Angina is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
Angina - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/angina.html