What should you know about vasospastic angina pectoris?

Angina pectoris means discomfort caused when the heart muscle receives less oxygen-rich blood than it needs. In the vasospastic form, a coronary artery tightens briefly. The episode can cause pressure, squeezing or burning in the chest and may occur while resting, including during sleep.

The name does not describe a single test result or guarantee a cause. Similar discomfort can come from a heart attack, lung disease, reflux or muscle strain. A clinician considers the timing, associated symptoms, risk factors and examination findings before deciding what tests are appropriate.

Keep a diary of episodes: record the time, activity, temperature, symptoms, medicines taken and recovery. Avoid smoking and non-prescribed stimulant drugs, and mention possible triggers to your clinician. Take prescribed anti-anginal medicine as instructed; do not alter doses because an episode has improved.

Your care may include an ECG and medicines that reduce artery spasm. Blood pressure treatment or statin therapy may be recommended when your wider cardiovascular risk makes them suitable. Follow-up helps check whether episodes are becoming less frequent and whether treatment needs adjustment.

Treat sudden, intense or persistent chest discomfort as an emergency, especially with breathlessness, sweating, nausea, fainting or pain in the arm, jaw, shoulder or back. Symptoms caused by artery spasm can overlap with a heart attack, so do not wait for them to become unmistakable.

Use prescribed emergency medicine according to your written plan. If it fails to relieve the episode as directed, call emergency services and avoid driving yourself.

Ask whether your symptoms fit vasospastic angina, which tests can clarify the diagnosis, what to do during an episode, and whether you should change smoking, cold-exposure or medicine-related habits.