Angina
What is angina?
What causes angina?
How is angina diagnosed?
Treatment of angina
Angina attack action plan- what you MUST know
What is angina?
Angina is when your heart muscle doesn't get as much blood and oxygen as it needs. It is a sign of heart disease, however it can be treated.
What causes angina?
Angina normally happens because your arteries are narrowed, this is called atherosclerosis.
The narrowing means that there is less blood and oxygen getting to your heart muscle.
Your heart tries to get more blood supply by beating harder and faster.
This causes you discomfort and is a sign that your heart needs to rest.
How is angina diagnosed?
Your doctor may know you have angina simply by listening to your description of your symptoms.
An ECG may confirm your diagnosis of angina, however you may have a normal ECG but you can still have angina.
An 'exercise' ECG is another way to diagnose the condition. If you are not able to walk well enough to do this test you may be given a stress echo.
An angiography (or 'cardiac catheter') may help confirm that you have angina.
How is angina treated?
You can slow down or stop atherosclerosis from getting any worse.
You can do this by both making changes to the way you live your life, and also with medication.
Angina can also be treated with surgery or angioplasty.
Having an Angina attack - what you must know:
Action Plan
This sequence of events is advised by the New Zealand Heart Foundation:
If you think you are having angina or a heart attack:
1. Stop what you are doing and sit down and rest.
If your doctor has prescribed you an angina (nitrate) spray or tablets, then:
- if the pain or symptoms perisist after resting for 1-2 minutes, take 1 or 2 puffs of your nitrate spray or half to 1 tablet.
- if the pain or symptoms are releived by rest, or by your nitrate spray or tablet, you may resume activity gently.
- if the pain or symptoms persists, repeat he dose safely ever 5 minutes.
2. If the pain or symptoms are not relieved after 3 doses or with resting for 15 minutes, call an ambulance
Dial 111 immediately requesting an ambulance and tell them you are having a possible heart attack.
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