Angina

What is angina?

Angina is chest pain that happens when your heart muscle isn't getting enough blood. Think of it like your heart crying out for help - it needs more oxygen-rich blood to work properly, but something is stopping it from getting what it needs.

The pain usually feels like tightness, squeezing, or pressure in your chest. Some people describe it as feeling like someone is sitting on their chest, or like bad indigestion that won't go away.

What does angina feel like?

The main sign is sudden pain in your chest, but you might also feel pain in your:

• Neck
• Shoulders
• Jaw
• Arms

Along with the pain, you might feel:

• Sick or queasy
• Out of breath
• Dizzy
• Sweaty

These feelings are often called an "angina attack" and usually last less than 10 minutes. They often happen when you're doing exercise, feeling stressed, or when it's very cold outside.

When to call 999 immediately

Call 999 straight away if you have:

• Chest pain that doesn't stop after resting or taking your angina medicine
• Sudden chest pain that feels like squeezing, burning, or bad indigestion
• Chest pain that spreads to your arms, neck, jaw, shoulders, stomach or back
• Chest pain plus feeling sweaty, sick, dizzy or out of breath

You could be having a heart attack. Don't drive yourself to A&E - call 999 and they'll tell you what to do.

Why does angina happen?

Your heart is a muscle that needs a constant supply of blood to work properly. Angina usually happens when the blood vessels that feed your heart become narrow or blocked by fatty deposits (a bit like how pipes can get clogged up).

Sometimes the blood vessels can also tighten up when they shouldn't, which also reduces blood flow to your heart.

You're more likely to develop angina if you:

• Are a man over 45 or a woman over 55
• Smoke
• Drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week
• Are overweight
• Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• Have family members with heart problems
• Have diabetes, arthritis or kidney disease

Getting help

If you think you might have angina, speak to your GP as soon as possible. They might refer you to a heart specialist who can do tests to check how your heart is working.

These tests might include blood tests, heart rhythm checks, and scans to see how blood flows through your heart.

Treatment and living with angina

If you're diagnosed with angina, your doctor might give you medicines to:

• Stop an attack when it happens (usually a spray or tablet you put under your tongue)
• Reduce the chance of future attacks
• Lower your risk of heart attack or stroke

The good news is that with proper treatment and healthy lifestyle changes, many people with angina live full, active lives. You can usually continue with most activities, including exercise, but always speak to your GP about what's safe for you.

Remember to always carry your angina medicine with you and use it exactly as your doctor has told you.

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Based on NHS.uk guidance. Written by Dr Krishnan Pasupathi, NHS GP.