Angina and diarrhea: what you should know

Dehydration can lower blood pressure, speed the heartbeat, and disturb body salts. Vomiting or rapid bowel movements may also affect how reliably oral medicines are absorbed. Chest discomfort during a stomach illness still needs to be judged by its features and your angina action plan, not assumed to come from digestion.

Frequent loose stools remove water and salts from the body. The resulting dehydration may cause thirst, dry mouth, weakness, dizziness, darker urine, or reduced urination. For a person with angina, the extra circulatory stress may bring on symptoms, particularly when the illness includes fever or poor fluid intake.

Cramping, reflux, and trapped gas can also cause upper abdominal or chest discomfort. Those sensations cannot safely be distinguished from a heart problem by location alone. Pay attention to pressure, spreading discomfort, breathlessness, sweating, faintness, and whether the episode differs from previous digestive symptoms.

Take small, frequent sips of fluid if you can keep them down and choose an oral rehydration product if a clinician or pharmacist says it suits you. Continue monitoring for chest symptoms, dizziness, and reduced urination. Rest and avoid strenuous activity while you are unwell.

Contact a clinician or pharmacist for medicine-specific advice if diarrhea is persistent, you are vomiting, or you cannot drink normally. Some heart medicines affect blood pressure or fluid balance, but do not stop or double a dose without individual instructions. Mention all prescribed medicines and any non-prescription diarrhea remedy before taking something new.

Call emergency services if chest pressure or tightness is new, severe, occurs at rest, does not improve as described in your angina plan, or comes with marked breathlessness, fainting, a cold sweat, or discomfort spreading to the arm, jaw, back, or upper abdomen. Do not wait for the diarrhea to settle and do not drive yourself.

Seek prompt medical care for an inability to keep fluids down, very little urine, confusion, severe weakness, blood in the stool, intense abdominal pain, or fever with worsening illness. Earlier advice is sensible if you have kidney disease, take medicines that alter fluid balance, or notice lower blood pressure with dizziness.

Ask which medicines to continue if diarrhea prevents normal eating or drinking, what fluid replacement is suitable for you, and when blood pressure or kidney checks are needed. Confirm exactly how to follow your angina plan if oral medicine is vomited or chest symptoms appear during the illness.