Stable Angina

Angina Pectoris

What Triggers an Attack?

For most people with stable angina, symptoms are brought on by certain factors, known as triggers. Specific triggers can include:

Physical exertion, such as exercise, hurrying, or sexual activity
Emotion (stress, anger, frustration, or fright)
Exposure to very hot or cold temperatures
Heavy meals
Smoking.

Risk Factors for Stable Angina

Risk factors for this condition include:

Coronary artery disease, also known as coronary heart disease
Other heart diseases, such as aortic stenosis or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Previous heart attack
Age (stable angina occurs more often in older adults).

Because heart disease is a risk factor, factors that increase a person's chances of developing heart disease are also considered risk factors for angina. Heart disease risk factors include:

Age
Family history of early heart disease
High cholesterol levels, also known as hypercholesterolemia (see Cholesterol and Heart Disease)
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension (see Effects of High Blood Pressure)
Cigarette smoking (see Smoking and Heart Disease)
Diabetes (see Diabetes and Heart Disease)
Lack of physical activity (see Heart Disease and Exercise)
Being overweight or obese (see BMI Calculator to find your ideal weight or see Obesity and Heart Disease).

(Click Risk Factors for Heart Disease to learn more about these risk factors. Click Heart Disease Risk to calculate your risk over the next 10 years.)

(Stable Angina Continued: Page 3)
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