What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Angina?

Pain and discomfort are the main symptoms of angina. Angina often is described as pressure, squeezing, burning, or tightness in the chest. The pain or discomfort usually starts in the chest behind the breastbone.

Pain from angina also can occur in the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, throat, or back. The pain may feel like indigestion. Some people say that angina pain is hard to describe or that they can't tell exactly where the pain is coming from.

Signs and symptoms such as nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), fatigue (tiredness), shortness of breath, sweating, light-headedness, or weakness also may occur.

Women are more likely to feel discomfort in the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen, or back. Shortness of breath is more common in older people and those who have diabetes. In elderly people, signs and symptoms of angina may be masked by weakness, dizziness, and confusion.

Symptoms also vary based on the type of angina you have.

Because angina has so many possible symptoms and causes, all chest pain should be checked by a doctor. Chest pain that lasts longer than a few minutes and isn't relieved by rest or angina medicine may be a sign of a heart attack. Call 9–1–1 right away.

Stable Angina

The pain or discomfort:

• Occurs when the heart must work harder, usually during physical exertion
• Doesn't come as a surprise, and episodes of pain tend to be alike
• Usually lasts a short time (5 minutes or less)
• Is relieved by rest or medicine
• May feel like gas or indigestion
• May feel like chest pain that spreads to the arms, back, or other areas

Unstable Angina

The pain or discomfort:

• Often occurs at rest, while sleeping at night, or with little physical exertion
• Comes as a surprise
• Is more severe and lasts longer (as long as 30 minutes) than episodes of stable angina
• Usually isn’t relieved with rest or medicine
• May continually get worse
• May mean that a heart attack will happen soon

Variant Angina

The pain or discomfort:

• Usually occurs at rest and during the night or early morning hours
• Tends to be severe
• Is relieved by medicine

Microvascular Angina

The pain or discomfort:

• May be more severe or last longer than other types of angina pain
• May occur with shortness of breath, sleep problems, fatigue, and lack of energy
• Often is first noticed during routine daily activities and times of mental stress

Women and Heart Attack

If you're a woman, you may not believe you're as vulnerable to a heart attack as men–but you are. Women account for nearly half of all heart attack deaths. Heart disease is the number one killer of both women and men.

There are differences in how women and men respond to a heart attack. Women are less likely than men to believe they're having a heart attack and more likely to delay in seeking emergency treatment.

Further, women tend to be about 10 years older than men when they have a heart attack. They are more likely to have other conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and congestive heart failure–making it all the more vital that they get proper treatment fast.

Women should learn the heart attack warning signs. These are:

	Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest.
	Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
	Other symptoms, such as a shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

If you feel heart attack symptoms, do not delay. Remember, minutes matter! Do not wait for more than a few minutes–5 minutes at most–to call 9-1-1. Your family will benefit most if you seek fast treatment.

Heart Attack Warning Signs

A heart attack is a frightening event, and you probably don't want to think about it. But, if you learn the signs of a heart attack and what steps to take, you can save a life–maybe your own.

What are the signs of a heart attack? Many people think a heart attack is sudden and intense, like a "movie" heart attack, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over.

The truth is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort. If you feel such a symptom, you may not be sure what's wrong. Your symptoms may even come and go. Even those who have had a heart attack may not recognize their symptoms, because the next attack can have entirely different ones.

Women may not think they're at risk of having a heart attack–but they are.

It's vital that everyone learn the warning signs of a heart attack. These are: Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort. Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness. Learn the signs–but also remember: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, you should still have it checked out. Fast action can save lives-maybe your own. After you learn more about heart attack, try a brief quiz to see if you know what to do if you or someone else has warning signs. Source:http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/haws/haws.htm