Angina

Angina pectoris, commonly known simply as angina, is not a diagnosis but a clinical syndrome characterised by chest pain or discomfort resulting from myocardial ischaemia—conditions under which the blood flow to the heart muscle is insufficient to meet its metabolic demands. This symptom can be the first indicator of coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type of heart disease, which is why recent onset angina is usually investigated as a priority. Many people are not aware that there are many other causes of angina such as aortic valve narrowing (aortic stenosis), anaemia (low red cell count),  coronary spasm and even a mysterious cause that mimics the atherosclerotic cause called 'syndrome X' or microvascular angina.  In this longer podcast angina is discussed in greater depth. View the full article