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Angina - stable - Background information
What is it?
- Angina pectoris is chest pain due to transient myocardial ischaemia, which usually occurs on exertion and is relieved by rest.
- Coronary artery disease is the main cause of angina — atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries cause progressive narrowing of the lumen, and symptoms occur when blood flow does not provide adequate amounts of oxygen to the myocardium at times when oxygen demand increases (such as during exercise).
- Rarely, angina is caused by valve disease (for example aortic stenosis), hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, or hypertensive heart disease.
[Abrams, 2005; Fox et al, 2006a; Thadani, 2006; SIGN, 2007]
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