Stable angina

Alternative names:

angina - stable; coronary artery disease

Definition:

A pain or discomfort in the chest or adjacent areas caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Coronary artery disease is by far the most common cause of angina. Blockages in the coronary arteries, called plaques, prevent enough blood from reaching the heart muscle. Activities or situations that require increased blood flow to the heart may cause angina. These include exercise, heavy meals, and stress.

Less common causes of angina include coronary artery spasm (also called Prinzmetal's angina), diseases of the heart valves, heart failure, and abnormal heart rhythms.

The risk factors for angina include male sex, cigarette smoking, high cholesterol levels (in particular, high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol), high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of coronary heart disease before age 55, a sedentary lifestyle, and being more than 30% over ideal body weight.

Angina affects approximately 3.1% of the population of the U.S.