SIHD & Angina Flashcards
what is angina
it is a condition marked by severe pain in the chest, often also spreading to the shoulders, arms, and neck, owing to an inadequate blood supply to the heart
angina is chest pain or pressure, what is usually due to?
not enough blood flow to the heart muscle
what is angina usually due to?
obstruction or spasm of the coronary arteries
what can angina be classed as?
chest pain due to heart disease
what is angina itself?
not a disease
it is a condition
what is angina a probable symptom of?
coronary artery disease
describe angina
it is a tightness, pain or discomfort in the chest that occurs when an area of the heart muscle receives less blood oxygen than usual
what is stable angina
a predictable pattern of chest pain
what is stable angina a serious warning sign of
that you are at increased risk of developing a life threatening heart attack or stroke
why is it important for stable angina to be diagnosed?
as stable angina may eventually lead to a heart attack
what is more serious stable angina or unstable angina?
unstable angina
although stable angina can be painful and uncomfortable
what are both types of angina usually a sign of?
an underlying heart condition
which medications can improve angina symptoms
aspirin nitrates beta blockers statins calcium channel blockers ranolazine angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
how can aspirin improve angina symptoms
this drug reduces the ability of your blood to clot, making it easier for blood to flow through narrowed heart arteries
state 4 risk factors of stable angina
being over-weight
having a history of heart disease
having high cholesterol
having high blood pressure
what do most patients with angina pectoris report
retrosternal chest discomfort, rather than frank pain
how can retrosternal chest discomfort be described
as a pressure, heaviness, squeezing, burning or choking sensation
how may angina pain be localised
it may be localised primary in the epigastrium, back, neck, jaw or shoulders
what are risk factors of ischaemic heart disease
hypertension smoking hyperlipidaemia hyperglycaemia male post-menopausal females
define stable coronary artery disease
an established pattern of angina pectoris, a history of MI or the presence of plaque documented by catheterisation
what does coronary artery disease result in
when coronary artery plaque development, reducing the oxygen supply to the myocardium
when does stable coronary artery disease arise
as a result of a mismatch between myocardial blood/oxygen supply and demand
what is hyper-lipidaemia
it is an abnormally high concentration of fats or lipids in the blood
what is atherosclerosis
it is a disease of the arteries characterised by the deposition of fatty material on their inner walls
