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Chest Pain or Discomfort (Angina)
What
is Chest Pain (also called angina or angina pectoris)? Angina can be
caused by an insufficient supply of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. The
body responds to this oxygen deprivation with pain (many people refer to the
pain as tightness or pressure) in the chest, arms, shoulders, neck and/or
jaw. Some people also experience shortness of breath, fatigue, sweating,
dizziness and/or vomiting. It is most frequently caused by narrowing of the
coronary arteries. The narrowing is due to buildup of fatty deposits (plaque
or atherosclerosis) within the artery walls. Do
not ignore these warning signs, as they are strong indicators of an
impending cardiac event. If you experience chest pain, immediately call
9-1-1. Do not drive yourself to the hospital. What
are the differences between angina and a heart attack? During
angina, temporarily there is not enough oxygenated blood getting to a portion
of the heart muscle. During a heart attack, narrowing effectively blocks the
coronary artery, preventing any oxygenated blood from flowing to that part of
the heart muscle, which can lead to heart muscle death. There are
usually three characteristics that distinguish angina from a heart attack.
They are:
How
is chest pain evaluated? Chest pain is
evaluated several different ways, but most often your doctor will order a
simple test called an electrocardiogram (EKG). This test monitors the
electrical activity within the heart and can aid your doctor in determining
if your condition is angina or if you are actually having a heart attack. The
doctor may also order blood tests that can determine if there is damage to
the heart muscle. Other
possible tests a doctor may order to evaluate chest pain are as follows:
If your
doctor concludes you have angina, and are not having a heart attack, he or
she will discuss treatment options to 1) care for the condition, and 2)
prevent future cardiovascular problems. What
are the treatment options for angina? There are a
variety of treatment options for angina. They include:
Medications There are
several medications a doctor can prescribe for angina, depending upon your condition:
Procedures There are
several procedures that can clear narrowing of the coronary arteries to
relieve angina and help prevent a possible heart attack. These procedures
include:
Prevention If you have
been diagnosed with angina, it is extremely important to make lifestyle
changes that reduce the risk factors which have contributed to your heart
disease. Making such changes can maintain, and in many cases, reverse the
damage done to your heart. For more information about prevention of
cardiovascular disease, please click here. Changing your
lifestyle to reduce your risk factors is one of the most important steps you
can take to improve your overall cardiovascular condition. |
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