Last Updated on January 17, 2025 by Analgesia team
Unstable Angina Medical Term
Unstable angina is a medical condition that occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood flow. It’s a type of chest pain that can lead to a heart attack and requires immediate medical attention.
Unstable angina is caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries, which are the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. Symptoms include:
- Chest pain that feels like heaviness, pressure, squeezing, tightness, burning, or sharpness
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Noticeable heartbeats
- Vomiting
Unstable angina attacks can be unpredictable and continue even while resting. They can also occur with or without physical exertion.
Causes
- Blood clots that block an artery
- Fatty buildups (atherosclerosis) that can rupture
- Damaged areas in the plaque that make it easier for blood clots to form
Treatments for unstable angina include:
- Aspirin to reduce the risk of blood clots
- Nitroglycerin to improve blood flow and lower blood pressure
- Supplemental oxygen to maintain oxygen saturation
- Other medications like antiplatelets, anticoagulants, statins, and beta-blockers
- Coronary angiography with percutaneous intervention or coronary artery bypass surgery
Other types of heart attacks include:
- Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI): A heart attack where there is some loss of blood supply, but the ECG doesn’t show the same changes as a STEMI.
- ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI): A heart attack that occurs when a coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart is completely blocked, causing a long interruption to blood flow and potentially extensive heart damage