Editorial - Archives of General Internal Medicine (2021) Volume 5, Issue 8

Short note on angina pectoris.

Sherin K Thomas^*

Department of Cardiology, Howard University, Washington, USA

Corresponding Author:

Sherin K Thomas
Department of Cardiology
Howard University
Washington
USA
E-mail: sheri@kmas.edu

Accepted date: September 28, 2021

Citation: Thomas SK. Short note on angina pectoris. Arch Gen Intern Med 2021;5(8):4.

Description

Angina is chest pain that happens because there is not enough blood going to part of your heart because of that nerve damage. It may feel like a heart attack, with pressure or squeezing in our chest. Sometimes it is called as angina pectoris or ischemic chest pain. It is a symptom of heart disease, it happens when something blocks our arteries or there's not enough blood flow in the arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to our heart. Angina usually goes away quickly. Still now, it can be a sign of a lifethreatening heart problem. It is important to find out what is going on and what we can do to avoid a heart attack. Normally, medicine and lifestyle changes can control angina. If it is more severe, you may need surgery, too. Or we may need what is called a stent, a tiny tube that props open arteries.

Signs and symptoms

Patients shall ask about the frequency of angina, the severity of pain, number of nitroglycerin pills used during episodes. Symptomatology reported by patients with angina commonly includes pressing, squeezing, or crushing pain, usually in the chest under our breastbone. Pain that may occur in our upper back, both arms, neck, or ear lobes. Chest pain spreads to our arms, shoulders, jaw, neck, or back. Shortness of breath, Weakness, Tiredness, Feeling faint.

Diagnoses

Electrocardiogram (ECG) Test registers the electrical activity of the heart. It shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias). And it detects heart muscle damage. The stress test is done while we exercise on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike. Test checks our heart capability to function when under stress such as exercise. Breathing and blood pressure rates are also observed. A stress test is perhaps used to find coronary artery disease. Or it did find safe levels of exercise after heart attack or heart surgery. Type of stress test uses medicine to stimulate the heart as if we were exercising. An exercise treadmill tests only usages an ECG to estimate ischemia. A stress echocardiogram uses an ECG, ultrasound pictures of the heart. Nuclear perfusion stress test uses an ECG, radioactive tracer detected by a nuclear camera. Cardiac catheterization, Wire is passed into coronary arteries. Then a contrast dye is injected into our artery. X-ray images are taken to see narrowing, blockages, and problems of certain arteries. Cardiac MRI, Test can look at the amount of blood flow to the heart muscle. It may not be available at all medical centers. Coronary CT scan, Test looks at the amount of calcium, a plaque inside of blood vessels of the heart. It can also show blood flow through coronary arteries.

Treatmment

Doctors recommend certain lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, consuming a balanced diet low in fats, discontinuing the use of tobacco products, and finding ways to reduce stress. Treatment includes aspirin, statins, betablockers, calcium channel blockers, or nitrates. Angioplasty and vascular stenting in selected cases, following appropriate testing, our doctor may perform angioplasty and stenting. The procedure, which uses balloons and/or stents, is performed to open a blockage in coronary arteries and develop blood flow to the heart. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery increases blood flow to the heart by using a vein or an artery from elsewhere in the body to divert blood flow around the area of narrowing or blockage in coronary arteries of the heart.