(LifeWire) - Definition: Pain or discomfort -- usually in the chest but sometimes in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back -- occurring when some portion of the heart does not receive enough oxygen from the blood.
Angina is often a sign of coronary artery disease, or blocked arteries due to atherosclerosis, which is a buildup of plaque caused by high cholesterol levels.
Stable angina, which occurs during exertion and follows a predictable pattern, is the most common form. It can be relieved by drugs, such as nitroglycerin, which relaxes the coronary arteries, or with medications that reduce blood pressure or slow the heart, or by surgery.
Also Known As: angina pectoris, coronary artery spasm
LifeWire, a part of The New York Times Company, provides original and syndicated online lifestyle content. Nancy Larson is a St. Louis-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in dozens of local and national print and online publications including CNN.com, The Weather Channel, Health magazine and The Advocate.
