What contributes to angina?
To put it simply, Angina is a lack of blood flow and therefore oxygen to your heart muscle. The coronary arteries supply oxygen to keep the heart pumping, and when that supply is reduced by narrowing or tightening of the coronary arteries the heart does not get the oxygen it needs. This causes the pain and discomfort of angina. Factors that contribute to the risk of developing angina include the following:
- Smoking
- Elevated cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- A family history of premature heart disease
What will your cardiologist do?
Everyone’s different. To best determine your personal diagnosis your Cardiologist will go through your history of chest discomfort and complete a series of tests and examine your data. These tests could include a resting electrocardiogram (ECG), a stress echocardiogram, a CT coronary angiogram or even an invasive coronary angiogram to assess your heart arteries.
When you feel strong chest pain?
- Stop the activity that brought on the angina.
- Take your prescribed tablets as directed – you may have a quick acting tablet or spray to use during an attack.
- If you do not have relief with rest and medication within 10 to 15 minutes, then call an ambulance.
How can I reduce the effects of angina?
At GenesisCare, your long-term well-being is our focus. That’s why our care team works with you to ensure long term results. They’re often simple things, but we’re to help you through them.
- If you’re a smoker, we recommend quitting.
- Eat a healthy low-fat diet to control your cholesterol, weight and blood pressure.
