How to Deal with Microvascular Angina

Angina, in its simplest terms, is chest pain. It is the discomfort that you get when your heart muscles fail to obtain the right amount of blood. Microvascular angina, on the other hand, is a more specific type of this disease. It is characterized by chest pains as caused by the failure to get oxygen to the small blood vessels, instead of the bigger arteries.

Cause of Microvascular Angina
Microvascular angina may be triggered by too much physical exertion and exercise. People who are prone to this disease should watch what they do because chest pains may just arise all of a sudden, often catching them unprepared for the attack. Activities such as running, climbing the stairs, or spending too much time on the treadmill have to be lessened.

Microvascular angina may also be caused by the extreme weathers. If it is so cold the blood vessels may cram up resulting in lesser oxygen. On the other hand, if it too hot outside, the heart’s tendency is to work harder to respond to the body’s higher oxygen requirement. Either way, a microvascular angina episode may be initiated.

Heavy meals, alcohol intake, and cigarette smoking may all cause microvascular angina. Even emotional stress, if left untreated, can bring forth this disease. It is then important for you to watch what you eat and address what you feel so as to be safe from developing this disease.

Symptoms of Angina
Microvascular angina, just like several other diseases, produces symptoms. Because it is mainly characterized by chest pain, a feeling of discomfort and tightness within that area is usually felt. And the pain may last for an average of two to five minutes, depending upon the severity of the case.

The pain could also extend down the left arm along with a tingling sensation, numbness, or weakness. It will get worse with exercise or any physical exertion. And similarly, it will be relieved with rest. There are also instances that the pain extends up to the neck.

Some patients will also experience breathlessness and choking. Most of the time, these prelude the extreme chest pain. Generally, microvascular angina has symptoms similar to other heart diseases. It is then best to consult your physician once the moment one or more of these signs are felt.

Diagnosis of Microvascular Angina
To detect this disease in patients, several tests have to be performed. For one thing, x-rays and ECG are performed. An x-ray of the heart will help doctors see its physical make-up and conclude the type of heart disease a person has.

Stress tests may also be performed. Doctors can opt for a simple stress test or a nuclear stress test. And if all of these tests prove to be inadequate to arrive at an accurate diagnosis, coronary arteriogram may be carried out next.

Treatment of Microvascular Angina
The treatment of microvascular angina is almost the same as with any other heart disease. For starters, smoking and alcohol should be reduced, if not eliminated. It is also important to control one’s cholesterol levels as well as his weight. Extraneous physical activities should be avoided but exercise routines advised by cardiologists are generally fine. Avoiding stress is also important.

The medications commonly used for microvasuclar angina are nitroglycerin and glycerin trinitrate tablets. Beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers are also prescribed. Doctors may also give out inhaled amyl nitrite to aid in the treatment.

If these medications don’t do the patient any good, surgery is the next step. Coronary artery bypass surgery is the most usual one performed. Other types of surgery, such as balloon angioplasty and artery stent are an alternative and may be done depending upon the evaluation of the doctor as to which method would benefit the patient most.