Articles
Chest pain: First aid
Content
Heart attack
Angina
Pulmonary embolism
Aortic dissection
Pneumonia with pleurisy
Pericarditis
Chest wall pain
When to see a doctor
Angina
Angina is chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to your heart muscle. It's relatively common, but it can be hard to tell the difference from other types of chest pain, such as indigestion.
Angina can be stable or unstable.
- Stable angina is chest pain that usually occurs with activity and is relatively predictable. The chest pain tends to follow a pattern. In other words, there's been no change in how often you get the chest pain and how long it lasts.
- Unstable angina is chest pain that is sudden or new or changes from the typical pattern. It may be a sign of a future heart attack.
If your angina gets worse or changes, seek emergency medical help immediately.