Angina pectoris, often called angina, is chest discomfort caused by the heart muscle not receiving enough oxygen-rich blood. It is a symptom of an underlying problem, commonly coronary artery disease, rather than a disease on its own. Recognizing what angina can feel like—and knowing when chest pain may be an emergency—can help people get the right care promptly.
What angina feels like
Angina is often described as pressure, tightness, squeezing, heaviness, or burning in the chest. It may also be felt in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, back, or upper abdomen. Some people experience shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue, or sweating instead of obvious chest pain. Symptoms can differ between individuals, and they may be less typical in older adults and people with diabetes.
An episode may start during physical activity, emotional stress, cold weather, or after a large meal, when the heart needs more oxygen. Stable angina usually follows a recognizable pattern: it occurs under similar circumstances, lasts a few minutes, and improves with rest or prescribed medication.
Why angina happens
The most common cause is narrowing of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. Fatty deposits can build up in artery walls over time, restricting blood flow. When the heart works harder, the limited supply may not meet its increased demand, producing angina.
Less commonly, angina can occur because a coronary artery briefly tightens, or because the small blood vessels supplying the heart do not function normally. A clinician may investigate these possibilities when symptoms persist but standard tests do not show major blockages.
Stable and unstable angina
Stable angina tends to be predictable and short-lived. A person may notice it while walking uphill, for example, but not during ordinary activity. Even familiar symptoms deserve medical assessment, particularly if they are new or changing.
Unstable angina is different. It may occur at rest, last longer than usual, become more intense, or appear more frequently. It can signal a sudden reduction in blood flow and may be part of acute coronary syndrome, which includes heart attack. Unstable angina requires urgent medical attention.
When chest pain is an emergency
Call your local emergency number if chest discomfort is severe, lasts more than a few minutes, returns after easing, or comes with breathlessness, faintness, cold sweating, nausea, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back, or neck. Do not drive yourself to hospital. A heart attack cannot be ruled out by how the pain feels, and prompt assessment matters.
If you have been prescribed medicine for angina, follow the instructions provided by your healthcare professional. Do not delay emergency care because a dose appears to help or because symptoms resemble previous episodes.
How doctors diagnose angina
A clinician will ask about the symptoms, when they occur, how long they last, and what relieves them. They may review medical history and risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and family history of heart disease.
Tests may include an electrocardiogram, blood tests, an exercise or imaging-based stress test, or scans of the heart and coronary arteries. The right combination depends on the person’s symptoms and circumstances. Because angina can come and go, a normal result from one test does not always settle the question; follow-up may be needed.
Treatment and living with angina
Treatment aims to reduce symptoms and lower the risk of heart attack. Depending on the cause, it may include medicines that improve blood flow or reduce the heart’s workload, as well as treatment for blood pressure or cholesterol. Some people may need a procedure to improve blood flow through narrowed arteries.
Daily habits can support treatment: avoiding tobacco, taking prescribed medicines consistently, eating a heart-healthy diet, and staying active within the limits advised by a healthcare professional. Do not begin or intensify exercise if it triggers chest pain without first discussing it with a clinician. A cardiac rehabilitation program may provide supervised activity and practical guidance.
Keep track of episodes, including what you were doing, how long the discomfort lasted, and any associated symptoms. This record can help a clinician assess whether the pattern is changing. Seek medical advice for new or worsening symptoms, even if they settle.
The bottom line
Angina is a warning that the heart may not be getting enough oxygen-rich blood. Stable symptoms should be assessed and managed; sudden, severe, prolonged, or changing chest pain calls for emergency care. When in doubt, treat possible heart-related chest pain as urgent.