The primary symptom of angina is chest pain, which is usually described as a 'heaviness' or a feeling of 'pressure' on the chest cavity. Severity of this
pain varies from person to person, and you could experience anything from a dull ache to severe pain. Sometimes angina pain may extend from the chest to
the neck, down the arm and into the stomach, back, or jaw. In addition to the pain in these areas, other angina symptoms can include breathlessness,
sweating, and
nausea.1
Angina symptoms develop when your heart demands more blood than is supplied to it by the coronary arteries. This increased demand for blood is usually
brought on by physical activity, but can also include other triggers such as emotional upset, stress, cold weather, or after a meal.
3
Overall, the level of
activity it takes to trigger an angina attack varies depending on the person. Many people find their angina occurs more often at certain times of the day,
particularly first thing in the morning or late afternoon. Depending on the type of angina, symptoms usually last less than ten minutes once you’ve stopped
the activity that triggered the pain.
In normal cases of angina, symptoms usually pass when you stop the activity that triggered it, and take your prescribed angina medication
(see Angina
Treatment). In contrast, chest pain associated with a heart attack generally lasts longer than fifteen minutes, and does not go away if you rest or take
your angina medication. If this happens, or if you feel pain that’s more severe and frequent than usual, you could be at risk and should seek urgent medical
help.1
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