Angina Health Video

Angina refers to a painful constriction or tightness in a part of the body. Learn more about angina, possible locations of tightness, and causes in this video.

Take Action

Avoid stressful situations
Get regular exercise
Control your blood pressure
Take prescription medications
Consult your cardiologist for angina

About this Author

Dr. Dave Weiland has been practicing cardiology in the Bay Area for 21 years. On top of operating a practive in San Pablo, CA for the past 15 years, Dr. Weiland works with eight other doctors in traveling all around the Bay Area to treat patients everywhere. Dr. Weiland graduated from the Ohio State Medical School in 1981; following that with an additional six years of study at Tufts University. Dr. Weiland received his training in cardiology at the New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and now teaches medical students about cardiology.

DR. DAVE WEILAND: Hi this Dr. David Weiland. We are now going to talk about the term angina. Angina is a term I'm sure many people have heard and mentioned, and it refers to the symptom when someone does not have enough blood flow to their heart. It is often described as a pain or a pressure in the chest, which can occur with exertion or at rest. It can often radiate to the left arm, or to the jaw. The treatment of angina involves first-line use of nitroglycerine under the tongue. Nitroglycerine is a small pill that either comes in a spray or a pill form that can be placed under the tongue. It dissolves rapidly and enters the blood stream. It can dilate up the arteries of the heart which can reduce the angina. In addition, treatment may involve controlling blood pressure with medicines such as beta blockers, daily aspirin, and lowering cholesterol. In patients with heart disease, prevention of angina would involve avoiding stressful situations, getting regular exercise, controlling the blood pressure, and taking medications as prescribed by one's physician on a daily basis. How to take action: If you have angina or a pain in the chest, it is often important to make sure that that pain is actually coming from a blocked artery in the heart. Cardiologist can determine if it is truly is angina by doing some form of noninvasive testing of the heart. This would involve a treadmill test, or a treadmill-type test, where an injection of the medicine was given through an IV and then scans are taken of the heart. It is always best to consult a cardiologist if one thinks they have angina.