Stable angina

Alternative names:

angina - stable; coronary artery disease

Symptoms:

• chest pain or pressure
  • mid sternal (under the breastbone) or slightly to the left
  • may radiate to shoulder, arm, jaw, neck, back or other areas
  • tightness, squeezing, crushing, burning, choking, or aching
  • may feel similar to "gas" or indigestion.
  • usually not sharply localized
  • precipitated by activity, stress, exertion
  • usually short duration, 1 to 15 minutes
  • usually relieved by rest and/or nitroglycerin

Signs and tests:

Pain that is not relieved by 3 nitroglycerin tablets, 5 minutes apart, and that lasts longer than 15 minutes may represent a heart attack rather than angina.

An examination may show change in blood pressure. A transient heart murmur or arrhythmias (irregular heart beats) may occur.

ECG changes during exercise tolerance (treadmill) testing confirms the diagnosis of angina.

Heart scans or an angiography of the heart may be indicated in some circumstances.

Cardiac enzymes (CPK isoenzymes) may be run to make sure that no damage to the heart has occurred following a prolonged episode of chest pain.