Stable angina

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Heart, front view

Stable angina

Angina is chest pain caused by too little blood flow to the heart muscle. The pain usually begins slowly and gets worse over a period of minutes before going away. Stable angina typically occurs when you exert yourself, and is quickly relieved with medication or rest. It is also called chronic angina.

Angina chest pain that lasts longer than a few minutes or occurs with rest is considered unstable angina.

Angina - stable; Angina - chronic; Angina pectoris

There are approximately 400,000 new cases of stable angina diagnosed each year, according to the American Heart Association.

The most common cause of angina is coronary artery disease (CAD). Angina pectoris is the medical term for this type of chest pain.

Situations that increase blood flow to the heart may cause angina in people with CAD. These include exercise, heavy meals, and stress.

The risk factors for angina pectoris include:

• Male gender
• Cigarette smoking
• High cholesterol levels (in particular, high LDL and low HDL cholesterol)
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Family history of coronary heart disease before age 55
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity

Less common causes of angina include:

• Coronary artery spasm (also called Prinzmetal's angina)
• Diseases of the heart valves
• Heart failure
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Anemia

Review Date: 02/13/2006
Reviewed By: Frederic F. Little, M.D., Department of Allergy and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.