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Overview 

Angina (angina pectoris) is a feeling of pain or tightness, usually in your chest. It can be a sign of a heart problem, so it is important to see a GP as soon as possible if you think you may have it.

Symptoms 

The main symptom of angina is sudden pain in your chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms. 

The pain may: 

  • feel like tightness, squeezing or pressure, or like a dull ache 
  • make you feel sick, breathless, dizzy or sweaty 

Angina is often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold temperatures – although sometimes there is no obvious trigger. 

Angina attacks usually last fewer than 10 minutes and should stop after resting for a few minutes or taking your angina medicine. 

Causes 

Angina happens when the heart does not get enough blood. 

This is usually due to coronary artery disease (CAD), where the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked by fatty deposits. 

But it can also be caused by the blood vessels in your heart tightening when they should not (vasospastic angina or microvascular angina). 

You are more likely to get angina if you are: 

  • a male aged 45 or over
  • a female aged 55 or over 
  • a smoker 
  • drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week 
  • obese or overweight 

Or you have other risk factors such as: 

  • high blood pressure or high cholesterol 
  • previous heart problems, like a heart attack  
  • close relatives who have heart problems 
  • other conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis or kidney disease 

Diagnosis 

You will need tests to understand if you have any risk factors for CAD which can be modified. You may have: 

Treatment 

If you have been diagnosed with angina and get chest pain, follow the instructions you have been been given for treating your angina. 

  1. Stop what you are doing and rest. 
  2. Use any medicine you have been prescribed – this is usually glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). 
  3. Take another dose after five minutes if the first dose does not help. 

If you still have symptoms five minutes after taking the second dose, call 999 for an ambulance. 

Other treatment options to prevent angina include: 

Back to Coronary (heart) artery disease