Much Ado About Angina Is Justified

Much Ado About Angina Is Justified

If you think that there’s much ado about angina but believe there shouldn’t be as much, you have another thing coming. Your doctor has every reason to be concerned about your angina diagnosis. So will you once you finish reading this article.

Cause for Concern

The doctors use angina to describe the pressure, tightness, heaviness, and squeezing sensations in the chest, often accompanied by pain sensations. These sensations are the result of reduced blood flow to the heart. Thus, angina is considered a significant sign of coronary artery disease. The symptom itself can be acute (i.e., sudden) or chronic (i.e., recurring in nature).

But there’s also another factor to consider. The symptoms of angina are often difficult to distinguish from the numerous chest pain types, such as heartburn. So the best way to determine whether you have angina or not is a medical examination performed by your doctor, involving laboratory tests and physical exams.

Plus, there’s also the fact that angina is but a symptom of underlying coronary artery disease. So your doctor must determine the underlying condition and treat it first to address your angina attacks effectively.

Treatment Options Abound

While angina is a cause for concern, the good news is that there are several treatment options. However, you have to remember that these treatments involve your active participation. In addition, you have to take your doctor-prescribed medications, adopt healthy lifestyle habits, and discuss possible surgery with your doctor.

Your active participation in your treatment is a must for another reason. However, you also have to bear in mind that the goal of your medicine isn’t just to decrease the severity, frequency, and duration of your angina symptoms. You’re also working toward reducing your risk of heart attack and, thus, increasing your lifespan.

Your treatment plan will likely include these two essential aspects:

  • Lifestyle changes include smoking cessation, weight loss, moderate exercise, a healthy diet, and sensible lifestyle habits (i.e., sufficient sleep).
  • Medications can reduce your symptoms, but your doctor should prescribe these for the best results.

These medicines can include:

  • Nitrates (nitroglycerin tablets)
  • Aspirin for reduced blood clot ability
  • Clot-preventing drugs (clopidogrel)
  • Statins
  • Beta-blockers
  • Calcium channel blockers (amlodipine).

If your doctor deems it necessary, you may also undergo medical procedures, including stenting, angioplasty, and coronary artery bypass surgery. These procedures would last resort if lifestyle changes or previous medications didn’t work as expected.