Angina pectoris is not something you should ignore. That pain or pressure you are experiencing in the middle part of your left neck, left shoulder, left arm and chest should be checked right away. You should go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. Ask a friend or family member to drive you there. If no one is around, call 911 to get emergency transport.
What is angina pectoris? Why is it that important to seek immediate medical help when you experience the symptoms?
Angina pectoris or simply angina is a medical term that describes temporary chest discomforts that only occurs when the heart isn't getting enough blood. As we all know, the heart gets its blood supply from our coronary arteries. The blood supply our heart receives has oxygen and nutrients which the heart muscle needs in order to keep pumping. If there isn't enough blood, the heart won't be able to function in its full capacity. Given the case, when the person feels strong emotions, does physical exertion, experiences extreme temperatures and eats to a point that increases the demand on the heart, he or she will feel:
. Temporary pain;
. Fullness;
. Pressure; or
. Squeezing in the middle portion of the chest, jaw, shoulder, upper back and upper arm.
When you remove the stressor or when you take sublingual nitroglycerin, you will start feeling relief from the discomfort. Angina episodes are temporary. It may last from a few seconds to a few minutes. It won't last for hours or even a day. Never mistake an angina episode with a heart attack. However, if you start experiencing angina, it means that you're at a higher risk of having a heart attack.
Angina Pectoris vs. Heart Attack
If angina pectoris refers to temporary chest discomforts, a heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart gets cut off leading to the death of that part of the heart muscle. This is known as "infarction". Angina is a sign and helpful warning that the person already needs to seek immediate medical help in order to avoid having a heart attack.
If you will keep ignoring angina episodes, it would increase the risk of having an abnormal heart rhythm or experiencing a heart attack. Either of the two can result to sudden death.
When time is in the essence.
In angina pectoris, time is very important. The more you prolong the time that your heart is deprived with adequate blood flow or "ischemia" and oxygen, the more your heart muscle is prone to heart rhythm abnormalities or heart attack. If you prolong your chest pains from angina, your heart muscle will eventually malfunction or die.
There may also be cases where chest pain is not from angina. It can be due to an upper respiratory infection, acid reflux, asthma or it may be from ligaments and sore muscles in the chest. However, if the chest pain is recurrent or severe, have it checked right away.
Other symptoms that warrant medical consult are:
. Weakness
. Sweating
. Nausea
. Faintness
. Tingling or numbness
. Pain that doesn't go away
Author Resource:
To avoid the risk factors of angina and atherosclerosis which may be irreversible like hypertension and aging, the what causes angina pectoris are worth knowing. Learning who discovered angina pectoris has made a valuable contribution to the world of medicine for years now.
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