Kinds

• Stable angina is a continuous and chronic chest pain which generally occurs due to physical stress. Unstable angina is an unexpected pain or pressure in the chest or a sudden change in the pattern of an already-existing stable angina condition.
  
  

Symptoms

• An angina patient feels discomfort or chest pain along with nausea, tiredness, anxiety and a dull ache in her neck, shoulder, jaw, back or arm.
  
  

Risk factors

• Smoking, diabetes, elevated blood pressure conditions and enhanced levels of blood cholesterol or triglyceride raise the risk factor for angina. Other factors include obesity, age, stress and family history.
  
  

Causes

• Stable angina is generally due to physical stress, heavy intake of food, smoking, cold incumbent temperature or even anxiety. Unstable angina can be caused either by severe anemia or by the sudden rupture of fatty plaque in blood vessels or clots that choke the blood flow in an artery, while variant angina is triggered by a coronary artery spasm which results in momentary narrowing of the artery.
  
  

Treatment

• After bypass surgery or stent placement, treatment includes checking intake of fats and sugars, losing weight, quitting smoking, avoiding stress and taking medications like aspirin, beta-blockers and nitrates.