What it is
Stable angina follows a predictable pattern. Unstable angina, which comes on at rest or gets suddenly worse, needs emergency assessment.
Treatment includes medicines to relieve and prevent attacks, medicines to lower the risk of heart attack, lifestyle changes, and sometimes procedures such as stents or bypass surgery.
Common signs
- Tight, heavy or dull pain in the chest
- Pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back
- Brought on by effort, cold or stress, easing within minutes of rest
- Breathlessness
How it is usually diagnosed
- ECG and blood tests
- CT coronary angiography or a stress test
- Sometimes an invasive coronary angiogram
Records worth keeping
Keeping these together makes each appointment easier, especially when you see a new doctor:
- ECG and stress test reports
- Angiography reports, including any stents placed
- A list of medicines, including your spray or tablets for attacks
- Cholesterol and blood pressure results over time
- Cardiology letters
Questions to ask your doctor
- How narrow are my arteries, and do I need a procedure?
- How should I use my GTN spray, and when should I call for help?
- What level of exercise is safe for me?
When to get help right away
Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have:
- Chest pain at rest, pain lasting more than 15 minutes, or pain not eased by your spray: call 112
- Chest pain with sweating, sickness or breathlessness
This page is general information. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a doctor who knows your history. Medfold keeps your records organised; it does not interpret them.