What should you know about angina sickness?

It may feel like pressure, squeezing, heaviness, burning, or tightness rather than a sharp pain. Some people also notice discomfort in an arm, shoulder, neck, jaw, back, or upper abdomen, sometimes with breathlessness, sweating, nausea, or unusual tiredness.

Angina is a symptom of an underlying heart blood-flow problem, not an infection or a stomach illness. A predictable pattern can occur during exertion, emotional stress, or cold weather and ease with rest or prescribed medicine. Discomfort that begins at rest, becomes more frequent, feels stronger, or lasts longer than your usual pattern can signal a more urgent problem.

Chest discomfort has several possible causes, so its character alone cannot confirm angina. A clinician may review the pattern, examine you, check blood pressure and risk factors, and arrange an electrocardiogram or other heart tests.

Stop the activity, sit down, and remain calm. If you already have a personal angina action plan, follow it and use prescribed relief medicine exactly as instructed. Do not borrow another person's medicine, drive yourself while symptoms are active, or resume exertion simply because discomfort has started to settle.

Arrange a prompt clinical review for a first episode or any change from your established pattern. Keep a note of what you were doing, where the discomfort occurred, what it felt like, associated symptoms, and what relieved it. Continue long-term medicines as prescribed unless a clinician tells you otherwise.

Call local emergency services for new or unexplained chest pressure, severe or persistent discomfort, symptoms at rest, or symptoms that differ from your usual angina. Seek emergency help as well when chest discomfort comes with marked breathlessness, cold sweating, fainting, confusion, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back, or shoulder.

If prescribed rescue medicine does not work as described in your action plan, treat that as an emergency. Do not wait for a routine appointment or attempt to travel alone.

Ask what pattern should trigger emergency help, how to use any rescue medicine, which activities are suitable, and whether an electrocardiogram or further testing is needed. Also discuss blood pressure, cholesterol management, smoking, diabetes, family history, and possible medicine side effects or interactions.