Common Symptoms of Angina
People with symptoms of
angina usually feel discomfort (often a pressure-like pain) in or around the chest, shoulders, jaw, neck, back, or arms. It may feel like a squeezing, pressing sensation in the chest; this pain usually lasts two to five minutes.
Angina pain is usually caused and made worse by exercise and eased by rest.
Other angina symptoms can include:
- Indigestion or heartburn-type sensation
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness
- Weakness.
Angina Symptoms Versus a Heart Attack
An episode of angina is not a
heart attack, but it does mean that you have a greater chance of having a heart attack. Angina pain is an indication that some of the heart muscle is temporarily not getting enough blood. A heart attack, on the other hand, occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is suddenly and permanently cut off, usually by a blood clot. This can lead to serious heart damage.
Certain symptoms indicate that you are having a heart attack. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately:
- Pain or discomfort that is very bad, gets worse, and lasts longer than 20 minutes
- Pain or discomfort along with weakness, feeling sick to your stomach, sweating, or fainting
- Pain or discomfort that does not go away when you take angina medicine
- Pain or discomfort that is worse than you have ever had before.
