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<
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International Services |
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Tel.(66)-3825-9999#1155 |
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email: bphint@bph.co.th |
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:: Worldwide insurance assistance
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Interpreters available for Arabic, Bangla, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malayu, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai and Urdu. |
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| Angina |
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|
 What
is angina? 
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Angina,
also called angina pectoris, is a temporary chest pain,
pressure or discomfort. It is a symptom of cardiac ischemia,
a condition in which the flow of blood is restricted due
to clogged arteries, valve problems or another heart condition.
More than six million Americans have angina. About 350,000 cases
are reported annually.
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| What
does angina feel like? |
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The
term angina pectoris means “a choking sensation of the chest.”
This describes how angina patients may feel. An angina attack
may feel like a squeezing vice, a tightening or a crushing
pressure deep in the chest, primarily behind the sternum,
or breastbone. Angina may also be felt in the shoulders,
arm, back, neck or jaw.
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| What
are the four types of angina? |
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- Classical
and stable
Classical,
or stable, angina occurs during or after the heart has a
need for extra oxygen:
- While
smoking
- Eating
and digesting a heavy meal
- During
increased physical activity
- In
the midst of strong emotions
- During
sudden changes in temperature or altitude
- Variant
and Prinzmetal
Variant or Prinzmetal, angina occurs at rest. It is caused by a sudden
spasm in one of the heart's blood vessels. In two thirds of people
with variant angina, there is a severe blockage in at least one coronary
artery.
- Unstable
Unstable angina is an attack that may occur at any time, whether the
person is active or at rest. Unstable angina may also refer to an attack
that a physician initially suspected to be a heart attack.
- Microvascular
Microvascular
angina is a chest that appears to be due to poor function in the
tiny blood vessels of the heart, arms and legs. With this type
of angina, there is no apparent damage or blockage in the blood
vessels of the heart.
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| How
is angina diagnosed?
The
physician can determine the presence of angina by listening
to what the patient says during an attack. In addition, the
physician may find an elevated heart rate, blood pressure and
heartbeat.
Additional
tests may include:
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| How
is angina treated? |
In
patients with mild angina attacks, a combination of medications
and lifestyle changes is usually recommended.
Medications
may include:
- Beta
blockers
- Nitrates
- Calcium
channel blockers
- Antiplatelets
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Lifestyle changes may include:
- A
healthy diet, low in fat and cholesterol
- Regular
exercise
- Quitting
smoking
- Controlling
diabetes and/or high blood pressure
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For patients with serious angina attacks, further procedures may be necessary,
such as:
- Balloon
angioplasty
- Stenting
- Coronary
artery bypass grafting
- Minimal
invasive bypass surgery
- Directional
atherectomy
- Transmyocardial
revascularization
- External
counterpulsation (EECP)
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