Angina is chest pain originating from the heart. It occurs when the heart cannot derive enough oxygen from the blood. It is frequently caused by coronary artery disease--the buildup of cholesterol plaques in the blood vessels of the heart. If predictable and associated with various levels of physical exertion, the angina is considered stable. If it is new, unpredictable or it occurs at rest, it is considered unstable and is an emergency in need of evaluation. A third type is caused by blood vessel spasms and is called variant angina. Though all three types occur under different circumstances, they share common symptoms.
Pain or Pressure
A common symptom of angina, as with heart attacks, is pain or pressure. Either or both may be felt in the chest, left arm or jaw most frequently. The pain has been described as feeling like something heavy is on the chest, or as a squeezing sensation. Men are more likely to feel pain in the chest and women are more likely to feel pain or pressure in the back, jaw, neck, throat or abdomen. Any new or different chest pain is an emergency and should be evaluated by a health care practitioner immediately. It is possible to have angina, as well as a heart attack, in the absence of pain or pressure.
Shortness of Breath
Another common symptom of angina, as with heart attacks, is shortness of breath, or dyspnea. In stable angina the shortness of breath will be more pronounced with activity and subside with rest and the use of medications such as nitroglycerin. In unstable angina, the shortness of breath may happen at any time. In addition, shortness of breath is more likely to occur in diabetics and the elderly.
Anxiety, Lightheadedness and Gastrointestinal Issues
Pain, pressure and shortness of breath are very common symptoms of angina, but some symptoms are more atypical, and in some cases only atypical symptoms will occur. One such symptom is significant anxiety or a panicked feeling, described as a sense of impending doom. Sweating and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and vomiting are other atypical symptoms. Fainting, lightheadedness and dizziness are other possible symptoms.
