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Some other points about angina

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Stable angina and unstable angina

In most cases, angina pains come on with a certain amount of exertion, and you can predict the level of exertion that triggers a pain. This situation is called 'stable angina'. More than a million people in the UK have stable angina. It is common to have stable angina for many years. With treatment, most pains can be prevented. In time, over months or years, the pains may come on with a lesser amount of exertion.

If the pattern of your pain changes fairly suddenly, and the pains come on minimal exertion, or while you are resting, this is called 'unstable angina'. This is an emergency and needs immediate medical care.

Heart attack

If you have angina, you have a higher than average risk of having a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Briefly, a heart attack usually occurs when there is a sudden total blockage of a coronary artery. This is caused by a blood clot that forms over a patch of atheroma, and blocks the blood supply to a segment of heart muscle. However, your risk of having a heart attack is much reduced if you take aspirin and a statin - as discussed on previous pages.

Prolonged pain

If you have a pain that lasts longer than 15 minutes, or is different or more severe than usual, then call an ambulance immediately. It may be unstable angina or a heart attack and immediate medical care is needed.

Immunisation

People with angina should be immunised against the pnuemococcus, and have an annual 'flu-jab'.

Further help and information

British Heart Foundation 14 Fitzhardinge Street, London W1H 6DH Tel (Heart Information Line): 08450 70 80 70 Web: www.bhf.org.uk
British Cardiac Patients Association: 2 Station Road, Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, CB4 5QJ
Tel (Helpline): 01223 846845 Web: www.bcpa.co.uk
Heart patients, their families and carers may find investigations or treatments difficult to understand and hard to accept. It can be a relief to share thoughts and concerns with people who have successfully passed through similar anxieties and problems.