Angina or angina pectoris is a type of chest pain, discomfort or tightness that takes place when an area of the heart muscle receives reduced supply of oxygenated blood. It is a symptom of coronary artery disease. The symptom is typically described as squeezing, tightness, pain or heaviness in your chest.
Cause
Like all other organs and tissues in our body, our heart also needs continuous supply of oxygen rich blood to function effectively. There are two large blood vessels known as the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart muscles. Angina commonly occurs when the coronary arteries become narrow and hardened due to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). This heart disease causes narrowing of the blood vessels (coronary arteries) that supply blood and oxygen to the heart.
This typical condition of heart is caused by atherosclerosis, which causes accumulation of plaque or cholesterol substance, resulting into less flow of blood to the heart. Sometimes clot is also formed which obstructs the blood flow to the heart muscle. It is one of the main causes of angina.
When you are at restful condition, your heart muscles need relatively less supply of oxygen rich blood to function. However, when you are performing any strenuous activity, your heart needs to perform intensely. Hence, there is an increase in the demand for blood. If your coronary arteries are narrow, then adequate amount of blood will not reach the heart and this may trigger symptoms of angina.
Risk Factors
The following risk factors increase your risk of developing angina:
Use of Tobacco
Smoking, chewing tobacco and exposure to secondhand smoke for a long time cause damage to the interior walls of the arteries. This results into build-up of fatty materials, narrowing the coronary arteries and increases the risk of Coronary Heart Disease.
Smoking also reduces the ability of blood to carry oxygen around your body. And this remarkably increases the chances of developing blood clot inside the arteries.
Fat-rich Diet And Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of essential fat that helps in functioning of the body. It helps in hormone production and also protects the cell membranes. The two main types of cholesterol are:
High density lipoprotein (HDL): This mainly contains protein and a small amount of fat. This type of cholesterol helps in reducing blockage in your arteries. So, it is commonly referred to as good cholesterol.
Low density lipoprotein (LDL): It is mainly made up of fat and also contains a little amount of protein. This type of cholesterol blocks arteries. So, it is often called bad cholesterol.
Consumption of food high in saturated fat results into breaking down of cholesterol into LDL (bad cholesterol).And it increases the risk of developing blockages in the arteries, causing angina.
Diabetes
If your diabetes is not properly controlled, the excess amount of glucose in your blood can damage the artery walls.
High Blood Pressure
Our arteries are typically designed to pump blood at a certain pressure. When the pressure exceeds, the artery walls are likely to get damaged.
Age
Over time, arteries become narrow. So, as you grow older, your arteries will tend to get narrower, increasing the risk of developing angina.
Angina is relatively common but it is hard to differentiate from other types of chest pain, like the discomfort or pain of indigestion. If you are experiencing unexplained chest pain, seek medical attention immediately. You can contact any experienced heart specialist seeking proper treatment.