Angina Pectoris

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The word "Angina" means to strangle and "pectoris" meaning chest. The strangling chest pain is due to decreased blood flow to the heart muscle.

Chest Pain

Types of angina pectoris

Angina pectoris are of three types,

1. Stable Angina
2. Unstable Angina
3. Vasospastic Angina

Types of Angina

Stable Angina Pectoris

Stable angina pectoris / Chronic angina pectoris is the most common type of angina which happens when the patient has at least 70% of coronary artery stenosis, meaning 70% of the artery is covered with plaques. Even with 70% of stenosis, it would be enough for the blood to flow during rest. But when there is a high demand for blood like during exercise/stress, to get more blood the heart needs to work more harder, this leads to chest pain.

Chest pain in the case of stable angina can be relieved with rest.

Causes of stable angina pectoris.

One of the most common underlying causes of stable angina pectoris is atherosclerosis of one/more coronary arteries (The arteries that supply blood to the heart muscles).

Other condition that can cause stable angina is thickening of the heart wall

• Can be caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (genetic)
• Aortic stenosis, i.e. narrowing of aortic valve, causes the heart to pump against high pressure.
• Hypertension

So how does thickening of muscle wall leads to stable angina?