Angina

Angina, a prevalent cause of chest pain, arises from atherosclerosis, which narrows coronary blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the heart. Also known as coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease, it often manifests as a heavy, tight, or squeezing sensation in the chest, radiating towards the left arm, neck, or jaw. While angina symptoms typically occur during exertion, they can also emerge at rest.

Prompt assessment of angina is essential, beginning with specialized evaluation using a 12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG), followed by considering non-invasive investigations like exercise tolerance tests, CT coronary angiograms (CTCA), dobutamine stress echocardiograms (DSE), or nuclear myocardial perfusion scans (MPS).

Treatment strategies usually commence with managing known cardiac risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol, alongside lifestyle adjustments involving diet and exercise. Patients with angina often require anti-anginal medications like beta blockers, emergency GTN sprays, blood thinners such as Aspirin, and cholesterol-lowering statins to alleviate symptoms and mitigate the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack).

In cases with high-risk features, invasive procedures like coronary angiography may be necessary, sometimes leading to immediate angioplasty with stent insertion or referral for cardiac bypass surgery.