What can cause an angina attack?
Hi, I am a 32 f, caucasion,that suffered an angina attack. A week before I was experiencing tightness in my chest and was put on a holter monitor. A week later I had an attack that made me call 911. I had severe pain in my chest that radiated down my leftarm into my lefthand. I was in the hospital overnight and all my tests came back fine. I do not have heart disease. However the hospital doctor said it could have webbed up quickly and thats why it didn’t show in my blood. Do you think I had a heart attack or close to it. I was very, very tired after it happened. I am just trying to figure out what could have caused it. Any input would be greatly appreciated. If you’ve had a heart attack please give me some input. I am also diabetic but I do not take avandia. Thanks

Many things can cause angina- caffiene, cold beverages, increased activity, any stimulants, etc…. Angina is caused from the heart muscle not getting enough oxygen. This lack of oxygen is temporary and does not cause heart muscle death, which is a heart attack. It does cause pain like a heart attack. When you exert, your body demands more oxygen, and when stimulants or cold beverages are consumed, they cause the vessels to get smaller, allowing less blood to flow to the heart. If there are some blockages in the vessels, it too can cause a heart’s demand for oxygen not to be met. I doubt that you had any heart attack. Tipically, an EKG will show some changes that will indicate a heart attack- if that was ok along with your cardiac enzymes then I would say that you are in the clear. Keep in mind that you are at an increased risk because you are diabetic

Discover What Cholesterol Levels Really Mean and Decrease the Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes
By Claire Bowes

What is Cholesterol?

Before we go into how to reduce your cholesterol, let’s take a look at what exactly cholesterol is.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is produced by the liver and its job is to:-

• produce bile acids to help with the digestion of fat

• build and repair cells and

• produce estrogens and testosterone hormones

Therefore cholesterol is an important function of the body, but too much cholesterol in the body becomes a risk as it can clog up arteries and this can be the cause of heart attacks and strokes.

Cholesterol Symptoms

It is surprising to learn that there are virtually no symptoms to diagnose if you have high cholesterol. High cholesterol is normally identified by a blood test.

However, if you are having health issues such as coronary disease, vascular disease or stroke, then this could be the end result of high cholesterol levels in your body.

Symptoms of:

Coronary Disease

• Angina

• Chest pains

• Nausea

• Shortness of breath

Vascular Disease

• A tightening sensation in the lower extremities

• Ulcers or open sores on the lower extremities

Stroke

• loss of balance and dizziness

• slurring of speech and difficulty in understanding

• numbing sensation of the face, arm or leg

• this can be a sudden event with little or no warning

People who are overweight and do no exercise at all tend to be the ones with higher cholesterol levels.

Therefore, it is recommended that you have a cholesterol blood test every three years if you are overweight and every 5 years if you are a normal healthy weight.

How to Lower Cholesterol

If your blood test shows that your cholesterol levels are too high, then you should take immediate measures to help lower your cholesterol. Your doctor will advise you on the best course of action, but initially it is the norm for you to follow a low cholesterol diet.

A low cholesterol diet is normally a diet which is low in saturated fat and will include eating:-

• skinless poultry

• lean meats

• fish and shellfish

• low fat dairy products

• fruit

• vegetables

• whole grain foods

Cook your food by either

• grilling

• baking

• steaming

• boiling

• poaching

• microwave

Do not fry your food in lard or oil.

Your doctor also might prescribe you with a cholesterol lowering medication if he/she feels that the low cholesterol diet will not be enough.

For further information on lowering cholesterol visit Foods To Lower Cholesterol at http://www.loseweightfreeguide.com

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Angina Causes Symptoms Information With Treatment
By Juliet Cohen

Angina pectoris is the result of myocardial ischemia caused by an imbalance between myocardial blood supply and oxygen demand. In most cases, the lack of blood supply is due to a narrowing of the coronary arteries as a result of arteriosclerosis. This pain is known as angina. It is more likely to occur during exertion (e.g. walking, climbing stairs) when the heart muscle needs more blood and oxygen as it works harder. Angina usually occurs during exertion, severe emotional stress, or after a heavy meal. During these periods, the heart muscle demands more blood oxygen than the narrowed coronary arteries can deliver.

Angina is common. It affects about 1 in 50 people and there are estimated to be 1.2 million people with angina in the UK. It is more common in men than women and the likelihood of it occurring increases with age. Angina also can occur in people with valvular heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (this is an enlarged heart due to disease) or uncontrolled high blood pressure. Typical angina is uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest. Many types of chest discomfort aren’t related to angina. Acid reflux (heartburn) and lung infection or inflammation are examples.

Causes of Angina

The common Causes of Angina :

Heart failure

Narrowing of the aortic heart valve

Anaemia,

Abnormal heart rhythms

Fast, abnormal heart rhythms,

Diseases of the heart muscle.

Coronary artery spasm (also called Prinzmetal’s angina)

Symptoms of Angina

Some Symptoms of Angina :

Shortness of breath

Nausea

Feeling of moderate to severe indigestion that is persistent

Perspiration

Sharp, burning or cramping pain

Numbness or a loss of feeling in your arms, shoulders or wrists.

May also occur in the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, throat, or back

Usually start in the chest behind the breastbone

Treatment of Angina

Eliminating or minimizing risk factors of coronary artery disease by treating high blood pressure, lowering high cholesterol levels, quitting smoking, exercise and weight loss if needed.

Drug therapy, including beta-blockers, nitrates (such as nitroglycerin), calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and anti-clotting drugs

Rest.

Angiography may be performed if symptoms do not improve to help determine if coronary artery bypass surgery or angioplasty is needed

Transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR) is a new technique for relieving severe angina or coronary artery disease in patients unable to have bypass surgery or angioplasty.

Lowering LDL cholesterol levels as much as possible using drugs .

Hospitalization if the symptoms get worse quickly.

Juliet Cohen writes health articles for diseases and disorders. She also writes articles on women beauty tips.

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What Causes Angina
By Mike Herman

There are a variety of causes or contributory factors to the health condition, angina. There are a few different types of angina or a few different ways in which it manifests, as well.

Generally speaking, however, angina occurs when there is a significantly reduced flow of blood to the heart.

What causes a decrease in blood to flow to the heart?

* Coronary artery disease (CAD)

* Other types of heart disease

* Uncontrolled high blood pressure

The health of arteries is important to maintain for good heart health, especially the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries carry oxygenized blood to the heart.

If these arteries are blocked by fat deposits or plaque, then this no oxygen or blood can get to the heart to sustain its function. This plaque buildup is called atherosclerosis.

Plaque

There are two ways in which plaque can clog arteries and damage your health.

The first is when it hardens and creates a smaller pathway than usual for the oxygenized blood to pass through.

The second way is when the plaque is malleable and soft; in this case, it can break off from the arterial walls and cause blood clots.

Either way, the flow of blood to the hear is significantly decreased. Without the oxygen in the blood, the heart and the brain won’t function for long.

Stable Angina

Stable angina describes the health condition in which, most of the time, oxygen is carried to the heart despite very narrow arteries created by hardened plaque.

However under high emotional or physical stress in which the heart needs more oxygen, angina becomes a problem.

Other stressors that may provoke an attack including extreme temperatures, large meals, and smoking.

Unstable Angina

Unstable angina is caused by soft plaque that breaks away from the arterial walls and creates blood clots, which block the artery.

If totally blocked, a heart attack may occur. Chest pain accompanies each incidence of blockage by an artery.

For Important Information Regarding Heart Disease and Agina Go To
Heart Disease Symptoms

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