Angina I: Introduction

Angina, or angina pectoris, is chest pain or discomfort caused by myocardial ischemia, in which the heart muscle receives insufficient oxygen-rich blood.

It typically feels like pressing, squeezing, or crushing in the chest, often radiating to the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back.

The primary cause of angina is atherosclerosis, where plaque buildup narrows the coronary arteries, reducing the oxygen-rich blood supply to the heart muscle.

Other contributing factors include coronary artery spasms, microvascular disease, and conditions that increase myocardial oxygen demand, such as left ventricular hypertrophy or tachycardia.

Risk factors contributing to angina include hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, diabetes, obesity, stress, physical inactivity, poor diet, increasing age, and a family history of coronary artery disease.

The pathophysiology of angina is due to an imbalance between the heart muscle's oxygen supply and demand.

During increased physical activity or stress, the heart's demand for oxygen surpasses the restricted supply due to narrowed coronary arteries, leading to ischemia and anginal pain.