Angina pectoris

Angina pectoris is chest discomfort caused by temporary myocardial ischemia, usually when the heart’s oxygen demand exceeds its supply. It signals impaired coronary blood flow without necessarily indicating permanent heart-muscle damage.

Myocardial ischemia: Insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle causes inadequate oxygen delivery and impaired function. Angina is the symptomatic experience of transient myocardial ischemia.
Electrocardiography: Recording of the heart’s electrical activity using electrodes placed on the skin. An ECG can reveal ischemic changes during pain or help assess an acute episode.
Myocardial infarction: Death of heart-muscle tissue caused by prolonged ischemia, commonly called a heart attack. Angina involves ischemia without the defining heart-muscle death of infarction.
Coronary circulation: The network of blood vessels that supplies the heart muscle with oxygen and nutrients. Angina occurs when this circulation cannot meet myocardial oxygen needs.
Coronary artery disease: Narrowing or blockage of coronary arteries, usually caused by atherosclerotic plaque. Fixed coronary narrowing commonly limits blood supply during exertion.
Cardiac stress test: A test that monitors heart function during exercise or medication-induced cardiac stress. Stress testing can expose ischemia that is absent at rest.
Acute coronary syndrome: A group of urgent conditions caused by sudden reduced blood flow to the heart, including unstable angina and myocardial infarction. Unstable angina belongs to this emergency spectrum; stable angina generally does not.
Atherosclerosis: A chronic disease in which plaques containing lipids and other material build up inside artery walls. Coronary atherosclerosis is the most common cause of restricted flow underlying angina.
Myocardial oxygen demand: The heart muscle’s need for oxygen, which rises with workload and heart rate. Exercise or stress can raise demand beyond the supply available through narrowed arteries.
Coronary angiography: Imaging of coronary arteries after contrast dye is introduced through a catheter. It can locate coronary narrowing when symptoms or tests warrant anatomical assessment.

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