# Angina --- **Angina** or **angina pectoris** is a condition of chest pain, most typically (but not always) caused by a [[coronary artery disease|narrowing of the coronary arteries]]. (Other types of angina are caused by vascular spasams, and those are super weird and unpredictable, see "varient angina" below.) The narrowing of the arteries means that less blood is able to reach the myocardium, which causes pain, discomfort, a feeling of pressure or squeezing. There are also symptoms of reduced CO, such as shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue and feeling faint. ## Stable & Unstable Angina Angina (caused by [[coronary artery disease|CAD]]) can generally be divided into two types, **stable** and **unstable** angina. **Stable angina** are those cause by [[atherosclerosis#Stable & Unstable Plaque|stable plaque]]. They are predictable. For example, someone might know they can walk up and down their driveway, but if they try to go to the end of the street and back they'll get winded. These usually get better with rest or nitroglycerine. It's a chronic problem, and though it's not as scary as unstable angina it's still really limiting for people who have it. **Unstable angina** are those caused by [[atherosclerosis#Stable & Unstable Plaque|unstable plaque]]. They are unpredictable and much more dangerous. They can happen pretty much any time during activity (or even at rest), and don't necessarily go away with rest. They occur with increasing frequency and severity, and need immidate attention to rule out [[myocardial infarction|MI]]. ## Varient or Prinzmetal's Angina **Varient angina**, also called **Prinzmetal's angina** is not that common and not very understood—but we think it has to do with coronary artery spasams. It actually occurs with rest and at night, regardless of heart activity. Sometimes it goes away on it's own, and sometimes nitroglycerine helps. ## Meds The main med for treating angina are [[nitrates]], typically **nitroglycerine**. Also used are [[beta blockers]] and [[anticoagulants|anticoagulants/antiplatelets]] ___