Chapter 14

Angina Pectoris

A. Bharath Kumar and M.S. Umashankar

Abstract

Angina pectoris is a symptomatic clinical manifestation of myocardial ischemia which is caused by emotional stress. The patients having the age of 65 years and females age 70 years for women are at higher risk of developing angina pectoris. Currently, 4.1 million people are affected by coronary artery disease. The annual death rates of stable angina patients were 1.2% to 2.4. The major risk factors for angina pectoris include hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stress, physical inactivity, smoking; and alcohol contributes to the development of angina pectoris. The clinical manifestations of angina pectoris include chest tightness, chest pain, chest discomfort, burning chest, fatigue, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, aching, chest fullness, and more weight on chest. Chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, holter monitoring, coronary angiogram, and stress test is used to detect the severity of disease complications. The proper understanding of pathophysiological approaches is essential for better management of angina pectoris. The continuous prescribing practice of statins, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, heparin, anti-platelets, nitrates, ACE inhibitors, thrombolytic medications could improve the heart rate and improve the blood flow in the vascular stream and also lower the cardiovascular complications in primary care settings.

Total Pages: 172-185 (14)

Purchase Chapter  Book Details