Angina Pectoris

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MANILA, Philippines - ANGINA Pectoris is not a disease in its own right. It is the name for pain that occurs when the muscular wall of the heart becomes temporarily short of oxygen. Normally, the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart can cope with an increased demand, but this ability is restricted if you have coronary artery disease.

If you have a condition that restricts the supply of oxygen to your heart, the supply may be adequate for some activities but become inadequate if there is an increased demand for oxygen, as occurs when you exercise, when subjected to extremes of temperature, or become highly emotional. When the oxygen requirement falls, the pain usually disappears.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom of angina is pain in the center of your chest. The pain can spread to your throat and upper jaw, your back, and your arms (almost always the left one). Angina is a dull, heavy, constricting or …