Managing Your Angina Symptoms With Nitroglycerin

Abstract

You have been diagnosed with angina pectoris, commonly referred to as angina. This condition may be associated with discomfort in the chest or adjacent areas. Other symptoms of angina may include shortness of breath, fatigue, or nausea. The symptoms you feel are usually the result of a temporary lack of blood flow to your heart muscle, often caused by a blockage in the blood vessels that feed your heart. It is especially noticeable when there is an increased demand on your heart to pump blood such as during exercise or periods of emotional stress. There are 2 types of angina. If you have discomfort that usually arises on increased physical activity or stress, it is called stable angina. If your discomfort occurs with minimal activity or at rest or is increasing in frequency or intensity, it is called unstable angina. Angina is common in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD; blocked heart arteries usually caused by cholesterol and other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and cigarette smoking) and occurs in both men and women across all age groups. Generally, patients with chronic stable angina have reduced quality of life and are less likely to participate in regular physical activity programs. Nitroglycerin, also referred to as “nitro,” has been used with success for more than a century to treat angina. Nitroglycerin is a useful medication to help patients with CAD “reintroduce” physical activity into their lives. Nitroglycerin may alleviate the discomfort of both stable and unstable angina. Most patients with CAD can reduce their risk of future heart problems if they make changes to their lives that help improve their health. One of the important lifestyle changes is participating in regular exercise. Research shows that routine exercise not only improves quality of life but also reduces the …