What is angina? Angina or angina pain is a condition in which you happen to experience sudden pain in the chest. Sometimes, it can be very severe, and may even be fatal in some cases.


This condition takes place when the heart muscles do not get adequate supply of blood required for proper functioning. Angina pain occurs due to temporary blockage in the arteries that carry the blood to the heart.

Symptoms of angina may vary from person to person, depending on the type of angina one has as well as the frequency and severity.


Some people may have only mild symptoms; whereas in some cases, the symptoms can be very severe. Some of the common symptoms of angina are as under:

• Pain in the left side of chest and shoulder. The pain may spread to your arms, neck, jaws and back.
• Heaviness in the chest.
• Palpitation with heavy sweating.

Types of Angina

Angina is not an ailment or disease as such, though it is considered to be an indication of the coronary artery diseases. Diagnosis of angina includes the identification of the angina that one has. There are basically two different types of angina.

• Stable Angina: Here, the chest pain occurs in repeated patterns and the symptoms are also predictable. Occurrence of chest pain in this type of angina might not be an indication of a heart attack. Stable angina pain is usually triggered by emotional stress or over exertion. It may also be caused by exposure to excessive cold climatic conditions. If in your case, stable angina is identified, you can always prevent it. If you feel that it occurs when you are mentally upset and undergoing persistent stress, you can surely reduce the risk by practicing meditation and other relaxation techniques. Avoid overexerting yourself and perform light exercises; yoga being a very good option.

• Unstable Angina: This type of angina occurs when coronary artery gets suddenly narrowed. This is the most dangerous type of angina and may lead to heart attack. The pain and discomfort is more severe as compared to stable type of angina. If you happen to experience sudden and severe chest pain, emergency medical help must be sought.

Treatment for Angina 

For the treatment of angina, proper diagnosis is very essential. The first test performed is an ECG. This produces the graphical representation of the pattern of the functioning of your heart. A blood test is done in order to determine the cholesterol levels in your blood stream. Unstable angina treatment involves administration of medicines containing nitrates such as nitroglycerine or amyl nitrate. These drugs help in relieving angina pain by widening the narrowed artery. This results in lowering of blood pressure and more flow of blood to the heart. In severe cases, coronary artery surgery may be required. For unstable angina treatment, you also need to control the factors responsible for angina pectoris. Some of these factors are as follows:

• If you are a smoker, quit smoking immediately. Avoid the intake of alcohol and caffeine drinks.

• Stop eating junk foods and foods rich in fats, and maintain healthy food habits. For this, seek the advice of your health care provider or dietician.

• If overweight, take steps to reduce your weight.

• Perform regular and moderate work outs.

For any kind of angina, always try to remain cheerful and keep stress away from you. This greatly helps in protecting you against risk of angina. Yoga and meditation is very beneficial for relieving emotional stress and mental strain. In a way, this is one of the best angina cures or management techniques. For this, seek the help of an experienced and qualified yoga instructor.

What Causes Angina

Angina occurs due to the narrowing of the arteries. The narrowing of the arteries takes place because of gradual deposition of fat on the walls of coronary arteries. This results in restricting the flow of blood to your heart.The common causes of angina and the factors responsible for fat deposition in the arteries are mentioned hereunder:

• Smoking is one of the primary causes of angina. Regular smokers are more prone to coronary heart problems.

• Lack of physical movement; people whose work requires them to sit in one place for long hours are also at a higher risk.

• High levels of cholesterol in your blood stream.

• Regular intake of foods rich in saturated fatty acids such as red meat and other oily foods.

• Diabetes is another major factor responsible for narrowing of coronary arteries.

• If you are overweight, you are more likely to get fat deposits in the arteries.

• Hereditary reasons; if you have a family history of the disease, you are also likely to suffer from the coronary artery disease.

If you have suffered from angina, you need to lead a disciplined life. Dietary as well as lifestyle changes are a must. Regular checkups should also be undertaken.