In this Article

• Introduction to angina
• What is angina and what are the symptoms of angina?
• What causes angina?
• What are other causes of chest pain?
• Why is it important to establish the diagnosis of angina?
• How is angina diagnosed?
• What are the treatment options for angina patients?
• Medication
• Angioplasty and coronary artery bypass surgery
• What's new in the evaluation of angina?
• What's new in the treatment of angina and heart attacks?
• Angina At A Glance
• Patient Discussions: Angina - How Was Diagnosis Established
• Angina Glossary
• Angina Index

What's new in the treatment of angina and heart attacks?

Coronary arteries can close after angioplasty, causing recurrent angina or even heart attacks. One way to decrease the risk of coronary artery closure is by deploying stents to keep the arteries open. Newer drug-coated stents are being improved to significantly reduce the rate of artery closure.

Angina At A Glance

• Angina is one of many causes of chest pain.
  
  
• Angina is chest pain that is a result of inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle.
  
  
• Angina can be caused by coronary artery disease or spasm of the coronary arteries.
  
  
• EKG, exercise stress test, stress echocardiography, stress thallium, and cardiac catheterization are important in the diagnosis of angina.
  
  
• Treatment of angina includes rest, medications, angioplasty, and/or coronary artery bypass surgery.

Reference: UpToDate, "Transmyocardial laser revascularization for management of refractory angina," January, 2008

Angina - How Was Diagnosis Established

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