Angina Pectoris
Angina pectoris Angina pectoris is a disease of recurrent attacks of chest pain that's characterized by : -The pain is retrosternal i.e pain felt behind the sternum ( the breast bone). -pain is dull aching, compressing or constricting in nature. But maybe felt as burning pain in some cases - precipitated by effort/anxiety and relieved by rest or usage of nitroglycerin. Causes : Normally there's a balance between cardiac blood supply carrying oxygen to the heart and the oxygen requirements of the cardiac muscle. Angina occurs when there's imbalance between these two. Whether a decrease in blood supply to the heart, or increase in its requirements, or both together. Causes of ⬇ coronary blood supply: - Atherosclerosis : this is the commonest cause for angina - Spasm of the coronary blood vessels supplying the heart. - Severe decrease in diastolic blood pressure. - Aortic dissection. Causes of increased heart oxygen requirements: - Severe hy