In angina pectoris, part of the coronary artery that runs to the heart does not receive enough oxygen because the artery is narrowed and allows too little blood to pass through. The narrowing is often the result of ateriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The narrowing of the artery can also be caused by vasospasm. And often the narrowing of the coronary artery is a combination of both.
Angina pectoris
With angina pectoris there is not a total blockage of a coronary artery but a narrowing. So blood can flow through, but less than the heart actually needs. Someone with angina pectoris who is at rest has no complaints, because sufficient blood can pass through the narrowing. If the heart has to pump harder due to exertion, more blood must also pass through the stenosis. The piece of heart muscle tissue behind the narrowing then does not receive enough blood and therefore oxygen, causing pain.
Complaints
Angina pectoris then causes a pinching pain in the center of the chest:
- that radiates to the left arm, or both arms, or throat, or the back between the shoulder blades, or both ears, or to the upper abdomen.
- that occurs after exertion or emotions or cold
- it subsides again after a short time (less than 15 minutes) when the patient is resting.
- subsides after a few minutes if the patient has used a tablet or spray with a vasodilator under the tongue.
Medicines
Angina pectoris can sometimes persist for decades before the stenosis becomes worse and without a myocardial infarction occurring. Patients with angina pectoris have tablets (isosorbid) or a spray (nitroglycerin) that they can use under the tongue during an attack of pain. These medications dilate the blood vessel walls and the pain is relieved. These vasodilators probably work because they improve the availability of oxygen to the heart muscle cells. One tablet or spray can be repeated after ten minutes if the pain has not subsided. If the pain has not subsided after ten minutes, a doctor should be notified. People with angina pectoris are also given medication to reduce clotting.
Treatments.
Bypass
If the functioning of daily activities is seriously hampered, heart surgery can also take place in which one or more connections are constructed (bypses) around the narrowing in the coronary artery.
A piece of vein from the leg is usually used for such a bypass operation .
Angioplasty
Another treatment is the angioplasty procedure. This is done via a puncture in the groin and a long catheter is advanced into the narrowed spot in the coronary artery. A bubble is inflated at the narrowed spot and the narrowed spot is stretched and thus dilated.
Advice that must be taken into account
- quit smoking, if this is the case.
- move more
- if you are overweight, it is really necessary to lose weight to a normal weight
- Eating foods that lower cholesterol levels.