Angina & Coronary Artery Disease
Angina pectoris, commonly called angina, describes chest pain resulting from decreased oxygen supply to the heart. Coronary artery disease is a condition where plaque accumulates on the lining of the coronary arteries, causing them to harden and narrow. For a Spanish-language version of the Guide, click here.
Expand All Guide SectionsAngina
The medical term “angina pectoris” actually means “squeezing of the chest” in Latin. Pressure, tightness and aching in the chest are characteristic of angina, among other sicknesses, which is why a thorough diagnosis is important. The American Heart Association estimates that 16,000,000 Americans suffer from angina, heart attack and other forms of coronary heart disease.
Dulcinea's Insight
- There are two different types of angina: stable and unstable. Stable angina occurs at predictable times, such as during physical exertion. Unstable angina is less predictable, sometimes occurring at rest, with more severe discomfort. Unstable angina warrants an immediate trip to the hospital.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview …
MedicineNet.com
has a solid introduction to the issues surrounding angina. Of particular interest is their coverage of the treatment options available to sufferers. For all treatments listed, including angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft, there are links to pages with more specialized information.
MedlinePlus
, a joint effort of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, brings a quality introduction to angina via this interactive tutorial. It begins with an introduction and symptoms, gives an overview of relevant anatomical systems, and progresses into issues such as causes, diagnosis and prevention.
For statistics …
The American Heart Association
has a fact sheet with mortality, incidence and prevalence statistics for heart attack and angina. There are also links to other fact and statistic sheets like cholesterol and stroke statistics.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease is defined by a buildup of fat deposits in the arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) that impairs blood flow. A heart attack can result if blood flow becomes completely restricted, but any blood supply reduction can cause chest pain.
Dulcinea's Insight
- One can reduce the chance of developing coronary artery disease by making lifestyle changes to avoid risk factors such as unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, smoking, physical inactivity and high blood pressure.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview …
NHS Direct
has a brief but comprehensive introduction to coronary heart disease that covers all the primary issues: symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
WebMD
has an animated guide to help you understand coronary artery disease. Two roughly 10-second videos of atherosclerosis show how cholesterol can lead to the buildup of plaque or fatty deposits on artery walls, and eventually lead to artery blockage and heart attack. In the treatment section, animations aid explanations of angioplasty, stent and bypass procedures. Their primary information portal has a much deeper array of information.
For women …
WebMD
’s “Women and Coronary Artery Disease” article points out that coronary artery disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. The article deftly illustrates why it is so important for women to learn about this disease and goes on to discuss the factors that lead to coronary heart disease in women, what women can do to prevent the disease, and the medications commonly prescribed.
For advice on reducing risk …
FamilyDoctor.org
has an article on reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. After explaining what the disease is and how it’s caused, the experts at the American Academy of Family Physicians offer six tips on lowering risk, including not smoking and lowering cholesterol.
For a risk calculator …
The Medical College of Wisconsin
has a risk calculator for men and women. Simply enter your sex, age, blood pressure, cholesterol and whether you smoke or have diabetes, and the risk calculator predicts your heart disease risk percentage in 10 years.
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