Angina is chest pain that results from insufficient blood supply to the heart. The heart muscle requires adequate oxygen, which is transported by blood, and if there's a blockage or spasm in a coronary blood vessel, discomfort ensues. The pain tends to be episodic. According to 2007 information from the American Heart Association, nearly nine million Americans experience angina. Although the chest pain is transient, angina is a sign of heart disease, and if untreated, may lead to complications.
Discomfort
The pain of angina typically lasts a few minutes. People may experience tightness, heaviness, pressure or squeezing in the chest. The discomfort may spread to the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. There may be difficulty with breathing, nausea and tingling or numbness along the arms. Angina attacks can interfere with daily activity and render small exertions uncomfortable.
Severe Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias are irregular contractions of the heart muscle, causing the heart to beat too slowly, too quickly, or with abnormal rhythm. They may feel like a flutter in the chest, a racing heart or lightheadedness, or there may be no palpable sensation. While arrhythmias may be harmless, they can also be dangerous, as in ventricular fibrillation where the heart ceases to effectively pump blood. A person experiencing ventricular fibrillation collapses within seconds, unable to breath and without a pulse. This is, of course, a medical emergency.
Heart Attack
Symptoms of a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, include pressure, fullness or squeezing sensation in the chest; radiating pain to the shoulders, arms, back or jaw; shortness of breath; sweating; nausea and vomiting; and sense of impending doom. Note that these symptoms are similar to those of angina, so it's essential to obtain a proper diagnosis and associated treatment. For some people, especially women, heart attack symptoms may be more vague, such as gastrointestinal discomfort or general fatigue, or there may be no symptoms at all.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
In sudden cardiac arrest, an unexpected electrical disturbance in the heart stops its pumping action. This halts the blood flow to the rest of the body, leading to an inability to breathe and loss of consciousness. Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency, as it can result in sudden cardiac death.
