The most common symptom of angina is a feeling of pain or discomfort in your chest. The pain can feel tight, dull or heavy and usually passes within a few minutes. This type of angina is known as stable angina.
The pain can spread from your chest to your left arm, neck, jaw and back. It usually follows a period of physical activity or emotional stress. In some cases, the pain can also develop after eating a meal or during cold weather. Factors that can cause the symptoms of angina to occur are called angina triggers.
Some people with angina may also experience symptoms of:
- breathlessness
- feeling sick
- feeling unusually tired
- dizziness
- belching (burping)
- restlessness
The onset of angina symptoms is sometimes known as an angina attack.
Unstable angina
The symptoms of unstable angina are the same as those of stable angina, but they do not follow the usual pattern. For example, in unstable angina the symptoms:
- can develop without any angina triggers being present
- can persist even when you are resting
- can last longer than five minutes
- may not respond to treatment with glyceryl trinitrate
Dial 999 to request an ambulance if you think that you or someone you are with is experiencing the symptoms of unstable angina.
If you know that you are not allergic to aspirin, and aspirin is easily available, chew an adult-size tablet while you are waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Aspirin helps to prevent blood clots and will reduce your risk of experiencing a heart attack or a stroke.
