Diseases and Treatments > Angina

Angina is a sensation of discomfort (heaviness, constriction, aching, or pain) that usually occurs in the chest, but may also be felt in the arms, neck, jaw, back or abdomen. It may be associated with shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea or sweatiness. The same pattern tends to recur in an individual, although it may be of varying severity. The discomfort is a result of your heart muscle not getting enough blood because of hardening or spasm of your coronary arteries.

Treatments

1. Aspirin - inhibits blood clotting, helping maintain blood flow through narrowed arteries. 
2. Nitroglycerin - temporarily opens narrowed blood vessels, improving blood flow. 
3. Beta blockers - relax heart muscle, slow heart rate, decrease blood pressure. 
4. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) - allow blood to flow from your heart more easily 
5. Calcium channel blockers - when treating coronary artery spasm are used to relax the coronary arteries and prevent the spasm. 
6. Angioplasty 
7. Stenting 
8. Coronary bypass surgery