Stable angina meaning: what to know

Angina is a symptom of reduced blood flow to the heart muscle. In stable angina, discomfort follows a familiar pattern, often after walking uphill, climbing stairs or emotional strain, and settles after stopping. It may feel like pressure, tightness, heaviness or burning and can spread to an arm, shoulder, neck, jaw or back. Breathlessness, sweating or nausea may occur.

A predictable pattern still needs medical assessment because the heart’s blood supply may be narrowed. Risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking and high cholesterol can influence evaluation and treatment.

Follow the activity and medicine plan provided by your clinician. Take prescribed treatment as directed, keep appointments and report a change in how quickly symptoms start, how long they last or what brings them on. An electrocardiogram and other tests may help assess the heart. Do not stop heart medicines without medical advice.

Call emergency services for chest discomfort that is new, severe, prolonged, occurs at rest, is not relieved by your prescribed plan, or comes with breathlessness, sweating, faintness, nausea or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back. Treat a changed pattern as urgent rather than waiting for a routine appointment.

Ask what activity level is safe, how to use prescribed relief, which tests are needed, how blood pressure and cholesterol should be managed, and exactly when to call emergency services.