Stable angina

Definition

Stable angina is chest pain or discomfort that typically occurs with activity or stress. The pain usually begins slowly and gets worse over the next few minutes before going away. It quickly goes away with medication or rest, but may happen again with additional activity or stress.

Stable angina is also called chronic angina.

See also: Unstable angina

Alternative Names

Causes

Angina is caused by too little blood flow to the heart. The most common cause of angina is coronary heart disease (CHD). Angina pectoris is the medical term for this type of chest pain.

Situations that increase blood flow to the heart may cause angina in people with CHD. These include exercise, heavy meals, and stress.

The risk factors for angina include:

• Being male
• Diabetes
• Family history of coronary heart disease before age 50
• High blood pressure
• High LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol
• Not getting enough exercise
• Obesity
• Smoking

Less common causes of angina include:

• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Anemia
• Coronary artery spasm (also called Prinzmetal's angina)
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)

References

Boden WE, O'rourke RA, Teo KK, et al. Optimal Medical Therapy with or without PCI for Stable Coronary Disease. N Engl J Med. 2007 Mar 26; [Epub ahead of print].

Gibbons RJ, Abrams J, Chatterjee K, et al.: ACC/AHA 2002 guideline update for the management of patients with chronic stable angina--summary article: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on practice guidelines (Committee on the Management of Patients With Chronic Stable Angina). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003; 41(1): 159-68.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves New Treatment for Chest Pain. Rockville, MD: National Press Office; January 31, 2006. Press Release P06-15.

Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 7th ed. St. Louis, Mo; WB Saunders; 2005: 1281-1308.

Mehta SB. Management of coronary heart disease: stable angina, acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction. Prim Care. 2005; 32(4): 1057-81.