Angina is not a disease; it is a symptom of a heart problem. The heart problem that
most commonly leads to chronic angina is coronary heart disease (CHD).2
Your coronary arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart so your heart can pump
blood throughout your body. Coronary heart disease happens when fat and cholesterol
build up within the arteries. This build up, called plaque, causes the arteries
to become narrow or clogged. As a result, not enough oxygen-rich blood can reach
the heart.2,3
When your heart doesn't get as much oxygen as it needs, it cannot work properly.4
This is what causes the pain and discomfort of angina.2 Angina is your
heart's way of telling you that it needs more oxygen.
Types of angina
There are three types of angina:2,3
- Chronic angina
- Chronic angina occurs during physical activity or emotional stress
because the heart is working harder during those times, than when the body is at
rest. Because chronic angina is triggered by activity, this type of angina is often
predictable. Chronic angina usually lasts a short time of five minutes or less.
- Common triggers: physical activity such as climbing stairs or lifting
heavy objects; emotional stress; exposure to extreme temperatures; eating large
meals; smoking
- Relieved by: resting or nitroglycerin
- Unstable angina
- Unstable angina happens with or without physical activity —
sometimes while at rest or sleeping. Unstable angina means you are at immediate
risk of a heart attack and should seek emergency help. This type of angina is unpredictable,
more severe and usually lasts as long as 30 minutes.
- No common triggers: can occur with little or no physical activity;
at rest or while sleeping
- Relieved by: nothing reliably relieves unstable angina; seek medical
attention immediately
- Variant angina
- Variant angina is a rare type of angina. This type of angina occurs
without warning. It is caused by sudden tightening of a coronary artery. It usually
occurs while at rest, between midnight and early morning. During an attack, the
pain can be severe and there can be disruptions in your heart's rhythm.
- No common triggers: occurs while at rest or sleeping
- Relieved by: medicine; seek medical attention immediately
Learn about how angina feels
