What it means
Short for angina pectoris. It is usually felt as squeezing, pressure or tightness in the chest that may spread to the arm, neck, jaw or back. Stable angina comes with effort and goes away with rest or nitroglycerin. Unstable angina is new, worse, or happens at rest; it is part of acute coronary syndromeuh-KYOOT KOR-uh-nair-ee SIN-drohmA group of conditions in which blood flow to the heart muscle is suddenly reduced or blocked.Full entry and can lead to a myocardial infarctionmy-oh-KAR-dee-ul in-FARK-shunDeath of part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is blocked; a heart attack.my/o musclecardi/o heart-al having to do withinfarct area of dead tissueFull entry . Women, older adults and people with diabetes may feel tiredness, shortness of breath or nausea instead.
For the nurse
Stop activity, have the client rest, check vital signs and get an ECG as ordered. Nitroglycerin under the tongue can be given every 5 minutes for up to 3 doses; teach clients to call 911 if pain is not better 5 minutes after the first dose. Hold nitroglycerin if blood pressure is low.
At a glance
| Spanish | angina de pecho |
|---|---|
| Also written | angina pectoris, anginal |
Related terms
coronary artery disease
Narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, most often from fatty plaque buildup.
myocardial infarction
Death of part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is blocked; a heart attack.
ischemia
Too little blood flow to a part of the body, so the tissue does not get enough oxygen.
acute coronary syndrome
A group of conditions in which blood flow to the heart muscle is suddenly reduced or blocked.