Prinzmetal's angina, or variant angina, is the temporary spasm and sudden narrowing of one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are responsible for supplying oxygen-rich blood to the heart; the blood provides the heart with energy to pump blood throughout the body. Medline Plus states that the spasm commonly occurs in arteries that have not become clogged by fatty deposits. This condition occurs in only 2 percent of the people with angina. A patient should know what symptoms to expect if he has Prinzmetal's angina.
Chest Pain
According to MayoClinic.com, a patient with Prinzmetal's angina will likely have chest pain. This occurs because the spasms in a coronary artery can block blood flow to a particular part of the heart. This blockage deprives the heart muscle of the necessary oxygen-rich blood that it need to effectively pump blood to the rest of the body. Because the heart does not have the necessary nutrients, chest pain results. In this case, prescribed nitroglycerin can relieve an episode of pain, notes Medline Plus. In addition, the patient should take all prescribed medications regularly to avoid episodes of Prinzmetal's angina.
Radiating Pain
Pain may spread from the chest to the neck, jaw, shoulder or arm, explains Medline Plus. This occurs because the same nerves that sense chest pain from Prinzmetal's angina also sense pain in the upper body. The brain can get these nerve signals mixed up and sense pain from the upper body that does not exist. Medline Plus further states that chest and radiating pain often occur at rest, at the same time each day, and can last from five to 30 minutes. Exercise or physical activity does not bring on these symptoms.
Loss of Consciousness
In more severe cases of Prinzmetal's angina, a patient can lose consciousness, points out Medline Plus. This occurs because a severe spasm can completely cut off blood flow to the heart muscle. Heart muscles can die if blood flow is blocked for an extended period of time. This can cause an irregular heartbeat or the heart to stop beating completely, resulting in a loss of consciousness, because an inefficiently beating heart cannot pump blood to the brain. A lack of blood in the brain can cause a patient to faint and lose consciousness. This symptom is a medical emergency and 911 should be immediately called. A patient must follow his doctor's treatment plan to prevent this severe symptom from occurring.
