Postprandial angina symptoms: what to know

After eating, the body directs more blood flow towards digestion. A large meal, exertion soon afterwards, or underlying narrowing in the heart arteries can increase the heart's workload. Angina may feel like pressure, squeezing, burning, heaviness, or chest tightness and may spread to an arm, shoulder, jaw, back, or upper abdomen. Breathlessness, sweating, nausea, or unusual tiredness can occur too. The timing is a useful clue, but it does not establish the cause; reflux, muscle pain, and other problems can feel similar.

Stop activity, sit upright, and note when the discomfort begins, what you ate, how long it lasts, and whether rest changes it. Arrange prompt medical assessment for repeated symptoms. A clinician may check your heart, blood pressure and risk factors, and may arrange an Electrocardiogram. Take prescribed medicines exactly as directed; do not borrow someone else's tablets or delay review because symptoms settle after rest.

Call emergency services immediately for new, severe, prolonged, or worsening chest pressure, or for discomfort with breathlessness, fainting, cold sweating, marked weakness, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back. Do not drive yourself. Symptoms at rest or a pattern that is changing require urgent attention, even if they began after food.

Could these episodes be angina or another condition? Which tests are appropriate? What should I do during an episode? Should my blood pressure or cholesterol treatment change?