Angina Pectoris Treatment

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Contact your doctor if you experience angina. People with angina have an increased risk for a heart attack, cardiac arrest, and sudden cardiac death. An ambulance should be called immediately if a heart attack is suspected. Symptoms of a heart attack include new, worsening, or persistent pain or pressure in the center of the chest, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and pain that radiates from the chest into the teeth, jaws, shoulders, or arms. A heart attack can be fatal. Immediate emergency medical care is necessary to sustain life and prevent complications.

There are a variety of treatments for angina, depending on the type and severity. Your doctor may prescribe nitroglycerin medication to relieve angina. Depending on your condition, your doctor may prescribe other medications to lower your blood pressure, regulate your heartbeat, relieve anxiety, or thin your blood. Cardiac rehabilitation, to strengthen your heart muscles and improve your circulation, may be ordered. Some types of angina may require hospitalization. In some cases, surgery may be recommended.

A coronary angioplasty is a surgery that opens blocked coronary arteries. A stent may be inserted to ensure that the coronary artery remains open after angioplasty. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery involves taking a blood vessel from another part of the body to create a detour around a clogged artery to restore the blood flow to the heart. Blood vessels are commonly taken from the leg and surgically attached to the coronary artery. It may be necessary to have bypass surgery on one or more coronary arteries.