Angina Pectoris Stable

         Basic Facts

  • Angina results from a condition called coronary heart disease, an accumulation of plaque inside the coronary blood vessels that causes a reduction in blood flow to the heart.
  • The discomfort or tightness associated with angina results from ischemia, or the lack of oxygenated blood reaching the heart.
  • Angina that occurs during or after physical exercise or emotional stress is called stable angina because of the predictable pattern of events that strain the heart and result in heart pain. When angina occurs unpredictably or during rest, however, it is called unstable angina, which is more dangerous.
In a healthy heart, an increased demand for oxygen because of exercise, for example, results in increased blood flow to the heart. But when coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked by plaque (a condition called atherosclerosis), the heart does not receive enough blood to meet these periods of increased oxygen demands. Stable angina is pain associated with this unmet demand for blood and oxygen in the heart brought on by physical activity or emotional stress. 

Stable angina can occur intermittently for weeks, months, or even years.

Angina Pectoris, Stable FAQ