When it comes to coronary artery disease, the most widespread symptom is what is known as angina pectoris or simply angina. Angina is basically a pain in the chest. Everyone does not always describe angina in the same way. Some people refer to it as a feeling of heaviness or discomfort in the chest area while others talk about aching, burning, pressure or squeezing. Yet others describe it as a feeling of fullness or simply a painful feeling. Angina is sometimes mistaken for indigestion and vice versa. Angina is most commonly experienced in the chest area but can also be felt in the shoulders, arms, throat, neck, back or jaw area.

If you suspect that you are experiencing angina and have never had it before, do not ignore it but seek out medical attention right away. If angina is something you have had before, keep taking your heart medication and try to decide if the angina symptoms you are experiencing are worse than usual or the same. Contact your physician immediately and/or make a visit to the emergency room for immediate treatment.

Angina takes place when there is a limited amount of blood flowing to a particular area of the heart. What happens is that there is less oxygen and nutrients sent to the cells of the heart muscle and this means that the heart has to look for fuel elsewhere. A less efficient type of fuel that ends up being used is a product called lactic acid that causes discomfort and also builds in strength in the muscles.

Angina can be broken down into three groups and these include stable angina, unstable angina and an angina known as prinzmetal. When it comes to stable angina, the pain occurs during moments of extreme emotional turmoil or else during moments of mental or physical exertion such as when one is engaging in physical fitness. In this case the angina is of a predictable sort and it goes away when the person relaxes and gets plenty of rest.

Unstable angina is something to be concerned about as it very likely could mean that a person is about to have a heart attack. Unstable angina is not the run of the mill angina pain of stable angina and it may or may not take place when a person is resting. Unstable angina is more likely to occur when a person is resting and sometimes it is more extreme and lasts for a long period of time. The name says it all. This type of angina is unstable and may respond to oral medication but often more serious medical treatment or surgical procedures need to be administered. It cannot be emphasized enough, unstable angina can very often develop into a full blown heart attack if not caught early enough.

In the case of prinzmetal angina, the angina shows itself when a person is sleeping or just resting or else when an individual has been exposed to temperatures that are very cold. The symptoms of this type of angina come about as a result of a limited quantity of blood flow to the muscle of the heart or in some cases as a result of spasms that are taking place in the coronary artery.