Stable Angina
Stable Angina (Angina of effort, Angina Pectoris) is one of the forms of coronary (ischemic) heart disease; this condition is characterized by chest pain and is common in middle-aged and senior people.
Angina is the result of coronary heart disease. It appears because of the imbalance between the myocardial perfusion and myocardial oxygen demand resulting from the reduced cardiac vascular permeability. It leads to heart oxygen starvation accompanied with episodes of pain. An angina attack lasts from 5 to 15 minutes, and if no medical help is provided, then ischemia turns into necrosis and myocardial infarction.
Angina is divided into several types, the most common being angina of effort and rest angina.
This article concerns angina of effort, which is characterized by recurrent attacks that occur after physical or emotional stress that makes the heart work too hard, and increasing myocardial oxygen demand. Angina of effort is a common condition that may signal the development of myocardial infarction.
Angina of effort is classified as follows:
- “Angina of effort” – first occurrence. Symptoms appear within a month, then the condition either regresses or transforms into stable angina of effort;
- Stable angina of effort – angina attacks occur more than a month. The severity of the condition depends on the patient’s ability to perform physical activities;
- Progressing angina of effort – sudden increase in the frequency, severity and duration of angina attacks, in response to physical activity that used to be normal for the patient.
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