Stable angina (angina pectoris)

Stable angina is a medical condition that affects the heart . The most common causes are atherosclerosis and spasms of the epicardial artery . Typical symptoms include:

• chest discomfort
• feeling of tightness, heaviness, or pain in the chest

Both stable angina and a heart attack result in chest pain, but a heart attack will have chest pain lasting at least 10 minutes at rest , repeated episodes of chest pain at rest lasting 5 or more minutes , or an accelerating pattern of chest discomfort (episodes that are more frequent, severe, longer in duration, and precipitated by minimal exertion) .
Risk factors for stable angina include:

• Age
• Gender
• Systolic blood pressure
• Smoking
• Total cholesterol and/or cholesterol:HDL ratio
• Coronary artery disease

The initial treatment for stable angina is usually drug therapy with aspirin , beta blockers , ACE inhibitors , and/or nitroglycerine , Future episodes of stable angina can sometimes be prevented by stopping smoking , weight management , and increased physical activity .