Angina Is a Serious Condition

Angina being a symptom of a condition related to the heart, has to be taken very seriously. One ignores angina at his own peril, as it can lead to something much more lethal - a myocardial infarction or, in layman's terms, a heart attack.

There is another very sinister side to angina. Many times, a person may be totally unaware of the presence of arteriosclerosis. In such cases, the person will not show any visible signs of arteriosclerosis. Yes, the person will have inadequate blood supply to the myocardium, but it will not be significantly manifested.

The number of people with this kind of angina, appropriately called silent angina, is close to 25 percent of the total number of people with coronary heart disease. Today, the number of Americans with angina stands at more than 6 million (approximately 6.3 million, according to one study).

When does Angina Occur?

Angina occurs in situations when the heart muscle is subjected to a situation that demands a faster heart rate. It can also occur after a heavy meal, or if the temperature is low. It wouldn't normally occur in healthy individuals, as a normal myocardium has the ability to cope with the increased demand for oxygen.

The problem arises when the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked, due to fat or cholesterol deposition in the arterial walls. In moments of stress, the narrowed or blocked coronary arteries are unable to provide the extra oxygen to the myocardium. The result is angina pectoris.

Angina can be caused by coronorary artery spasm

Another reason for angina could be a spasm in the coronary arteries. A spasm is not limited to people with arteriosclerosis alone; people with normal coronary arteries can have such a spasm too.

Sometimes the walls of the coronary artery, which consist of muscle fiber, become narrow due to a sudden constriction of the muscle fibers. The momentary narrowing of the coronary artery causes a spasm, resulting in irregular and reduced supply of blood to the myocardium, causing angina.

This kind of angina, caused by a spasm in the coronary artery, is called Prinzmetal or variant angina. Variant angina usually occurs when the person is asleep or resting, and is usually seen in young women.

Angina Symptom >>