According to Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, angina is a type of chest pain caused by poor blood flow through the blood vessels of the heart muscle. The heart muscle constantly needs oxygen-rich blood to perform its function of pumping blood throughout the body. Fatty deposits can accumulate in blood vessels over time and reduce blood flow through the vessel, a condition called atherosclerosis. A blocked vessel deprives the heart muscle of oxygen and nutrients, which can cause chest pain. A patient with a history of heart problems or angina should know the causes of angina to prevent its occurrence.
Stable Angina
A patient with diseased coronary arteries, the blood vessels that surround the heart, is prone to angina. Diseased coronary arteries are blood vessels with significant atherosclerosis that may block blood flow. The Mayo Clinic states that exertion causes stable angina because it increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients the body needs to maintain its level of physical activity. The heart muscle itself also requires more blood flow to deliver blood throughout the body. When a coronary artery is blocked, the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen and nutrients to pump blood effectively. This lack of blood supply results in squeezing, pressure or heaviness in the chest. When activity declines, so does the demand for oxygen and nutrients in the heart; thus, angina usually resolves. A doctor may also instruct a patient to take medications that can improve angina.
Unstable Angina
Unstable angina is a sudden, new chest pain or worsening stable angina that may be a signal of an impending heart attack, states the Mayo Clinic. Unstable angina causes chest pain because a new blockage arises in a coronary artery. This blockage can be part of an old blockage that has broken off or a new blockage that has traveled from another part of the body. Regardless of its cause, sudden, new chest pain is a medical emergency. A patient should call 911 and seek immediate medical treatment because he may be having a heart attack.
Prinzmetal's Angina
Prinzmetal's angina is chest pain caused by a coronary artery spasm. The coronary artery momentarily narrows and reduces blood flow to the heart. This condition results in symptoms similar to those of stable and unstable angina. According to the Mayo Clinic, Prinzmetal's angina is rare, occurring in only 2 percent of angina cases. Patients with a first episode of Prinzmetal's angina should seek immediate medical treatment to allow a doctor to rule out a heart attack. If the patient has a known history of Prinzmetal's angina, he should follow the treatment instructions that his doctor provided.
