Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
Angina is a specific type of chest pain, pressure, or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle. This symptom is usually a warning sign of underlying coronary artery disease (CAD). Angina is not a disease itself but a symptom of heart trouble.
read more about angina ...The cause is atherosclerosis (plaque buildup) in the coronary arteries, which restricts oxygen-rich blood flow to the heart muscle. The most common type is stable angina, which occurs predictably during physical exertion or stress.
Symptoms include chest pressure, tightness, or burning that may spread to the neck, jaw, shoulders, or arms. The pain often starts during exertion or emotional stress and improves with rest or medication. Shortness of breath, nausea, and excessive sweating sometimes accompany the discomfort. Some people experience a sensation of heaviness rather than sharp pain. Recognizing these symptoms early helps in seeking medical care before a heart attack develops.
Angina does not directly cause vision problems. However, it shares the common cause of vascular disease with several severe eye conditions. Atherosclerosis, which causes angina, can also lead to retinal artery occlusion (eye stroke), causing sudden, severe, and permanent vision loss.
Treatment involves lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, quitting smoking), anti-platelet medications (like aspirin), and medications that relax blood vessels (like nitrates) to improve blood flow to the heart. Surgical procedures may be needed for severe blockages.
Unstable angina is a medical emergency. It is chest pain that occurs suddenly at rest, lasts longer than stable angina, or worsens over time. This signals a higher risk of heart attack and requires immediate medical attention.
No, angina is a warning sign of heart trouble, but it does not involve the death of heart tissue, unlike a heart attack.
Yes, stable angina is serious. It indicates underlying coronary artery disease and requires medical management.
Yes, stable angina is typically relieved within minutes by rest or by taking prescribed nitroglycerin medication.
If chest pain is new, worsening, or occurs at rest (unstable angina), seek emergency care. In rare cases, chronic vascular disease associated with angina can cause "Hollenhorst Plaques" (cholesterol crystals) in the retinal arteries, which a doctor can see during an eye exam.
NHS. Angina (nhs.uk). 2025.
Mayo Clinic. Angina Symptoms (mayoclinic.org). 2024.
American Heart Association. Stable Angina (heart.org). 2025.
Cleveland Clinic. Angina Pectoris (clevelandclinic.org). 2025.