Specialty of Internal medicine

What is angina?

What are the symptoms of angina?
The symptoms that are associated with angina include:

  • Chest pain
  • Pain in the neck, jaw, shoulder or back
  • Nausea
  • Tiredness and fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Dizziness


The symptoms of angina in women can be different from the classic signs. A woman can experience nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue, abdominal pain without chest pain. This can result in a delay in seeking emergency treatment.

What are the different types of angina?
Stable angina is the most common type. This develops when the heart works harder, such as when exercising. It lasts for a short amount of time such as less than five minutes. It can disappear if the person experiencing the attack rests.

An unstable angina is a medical emergency. This can occur even when a person is at rest and it is completely unexpected. It is severe and can last as long as 30 minutes. It can signal a heart attack.

Risk factors of angina
The following can increase the risk factor of an angina:

  • Diabetes
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Increase in age
  • No exercise
  • Overweight
  • Stress

How to prevent angina
An improvement to lifestyle choices can be made to prevent angina. This includes quitting smoking, monitoring other health conditions such as hypertension and high levels of cholesterol. A healthy diet, which eradicates saturated fats is also recommended, as is regular physical activity. Stress levels should be reduced and a healthy weight maintained. 
