We often say “heartache”, but does our heart really hurt?
The answer is yes, that is angina pectoris. Of course, the heart does not feel pain under normal circumstances. It only occurs when the heart is ischemia and hypoxia.
When does cardiac ischemia and hypoxia occur?
Only when the coronary arteries are blocked by more than 70%, the heart will experience severe ischemia and hypoxia, so that it will feel obvious pain, which is what we call angina pectoris.
Angina pectoris is mostly located in the upper and middle parts of the sternum body, and is mainly characterized by episodic chest pain. The pain can radiate to the inner side of the left shoulder, left hand or back, and can also radiate to the lower jaw, pharynx, upper abdomen etc.
Many patients describe angina as a feeling of tightness in the chest, as if being pressed against something to breathe. This is the characteristic of angina pectoris pain, pressure, suffocation, contraction pain, and even a burning sensation in some patients.
The duration of an angina attack is generally between 1 and 5 minutes, and no more than 20 minutes at most.
There are many reasons for angina, such as physical activity, emotional agitation, cold, smoking, fever, and tachycardia.
Angina usually resolves within minutes when the trigger is removed, adequate rest, or rescue medication.
We often encounter such patients in clinical practice. They usually just sit and do nothing, but once they move, they will experience angina pectoris, which is medically called “exertional angina pectoris” .
It is mainly because the heart needs less oxygen when it is not moving, but when the oxygen required by the heart increases as soon as a person moves, the blocked coronary arteries will not be able to supply blood at this time. So cause angina.
According to the World Health Organization’s “Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Ischemic Heart Disease”, angina pectoris is divided into two categories: exertional and spontaneous. A category of mixed angina pectoris was added.
According to statistics, nearly 40% of sudden death patients are people without any history of heart disease.
This shows that sudden angina attacks are more dangerous for people without a history of heart disease.
Because these people do not know much about angina pectoris, they do not respond properly in a timely manner when angina pectoris occurs, so it is easy to lead to sudden death.
However, for patients with frequent attacks who regularly use medication to treat or prevent angina pectoris, they will also be aware of changes in angina pectoris symptoms, even with sudden angina pectoris. Able to use medicines in time and seek medical attention in time.
Summary: If a patient with angina pectoris is not identified and treated in time, myocardial infarction can occur at any time. In recent years, the medical community has classified unstable angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction together into the category of acute coronary syndrome, reminding doctors and patients to pay equal attention to acute myocardial infarction when encountering unstable angina pectoris.
It should also be reminded that angina pectoris usually lasts 1 to 5 minutes, rarely more than 15 minutes. If it takes more than 15 minutes, or if the emergency medicine cannot be relieved after taking 3 times of emergency medicine in a row, it is necessary to consider whether it is an acute myocardial infarction.
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This article was originally written by [Dr. Luo Health Talk]. The author is a member of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, a member of the Health Communication Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and a health science writer. You are welcome to forward, comment, and like. Or private message to communicate with me, thank you very much!