Angina Pectoris Symptoms
and Causes

If you are having pain or pressure in the middle of your chest, left neck, left shoulder, or left arm, go immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department. Do not drive yourself; call 911 for emergency transport.

Angina, or angina pectoris, is the medical term used to describe the temporary chest discomfort that occurs when the heart is not getting enough blood.

An episode of angina is not a heart attack. Having angina means you have an increased risk of having a heart attack.

SYMPTOMS:

A pain in the chest, usually brought on by exertion and quickly relieved by rest. The pain varies from mild to severe. It usually starts during mild exertion and is relieved after a short rest. There is a dull, heavy, constricting sensation in the center of the chest; a discomfort spreads into the throat and down one or both arms, more often the left arm.

CAUSES:

The pain is due to an inadequate supply of blood to the heart muscle. It is less common in women before the age of 60, because estrogen protects against it. The most common cause of angina is coronary artery disease, which is a narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart muscle. According to Natural Remedies Encyclopedia, the original cause is eating meat and fat.