(10) Heart Attack and Cardiac Disorders
VIDEO
How do stable angina and unstable angina differ?
Stable angina is a predictable chest pain that can be severe. Rest usually relieves such pain, and nitroglycerin (a small white tablet placed under the tongue) usually is effective in ending angina pain.
Angina may occur at any time, but many affected patients experience angina in the morning between 6:00 AM and noon. The early morning hours seem to be the peak period during which most angina occurs.
Unstable angina is considered as an intermediate stage between stable angina and a heart attack, and it’s much more serious than stable angina. In unstable angina, the pain pattern is unpredictable, and the intensity and frequency of chest pain can increase within a 1- to 2-month period. Neither rest nor nitroglycerin relieves the pain well. Unstable angina often occurs at rest, and it may awaken a patient during sleep. Even mild physical activities, such as walking two level blocks or climbing one flight of stairs, can easily provoke the disorder.
What is coronary artery spasm or Prinzmetal’s angina?
Prinzmetal’s angina (a variant angina) is a less common type of angina that is due to the spasm of one or more coronary arteries. Chest pain will occur almost always when you are at rest, and various abnormal heart rhythms are frequently associated with the spasm. Very often, coronary artery spasm coexists with a fixed underlying coronary artery stenosis. In severe cases, coronary artery spasm can cause a heart attack.
In most cases, however, various medications are very effective in treating coronary artery spasm.
The early morning hours seem to be the peak period during which most angina occurs.
Term:
Prinzmetal’s angina- less common type of angina due to the spasm of one or more coronary arteries.
