Angina pectoris: stress and rest, stable and unstable - signs, treatment. What causes angina pectoris, and what conditions must be met for successful treatment of angina pectoris?

Angina pectoris or, as it is called in folk medicine, “angina pectoris”, is characterized by attacks of squeezing, pressing pain behind the sternum. This is the most common manifestation of coronary heart disease. It is characterized by the appearance of attacks of chest pain of a squeezing, squeezing nature. These pains are commonly called angina pectoris. The cause of pain is a narrowing to one degree or another of the blood vessels of the heart.

Angina pectoris is characterized by the appearance of pain during physical or emotional stress. In these cases we talk about angina pectoris. Such a painful attack usually goes away after stopping physical activity (after 2-3 minutes) or after taking nitroglycerin.

With angina, pain is often transmitted to the left shoulder, arm, and lower jaw. Often a painful attack is accompanied by palpitations, increased blood pressure, a feeling of anxiety, sweating, and pale skin. Sometimes there is a burning sensation behind the breastbone, which is similar to heartburn. In these cases, patients often seek medical help late, which can cause the development of myocardial infarction. It is extremely rare that pain may radiate to the right side of the body. The pain may be pressing and squeezing, stabbing and cutting. They appear suddenly, sometimes at rest (at night during sleep and generally in a lying position).

For each patient, the nature of the attack, the localization and distribution of pain are constant. Therefore, a person suffering from angina pectoris should know that a change in the nature of a painful attack indicates an exacerbation of the process.

Another form of the disease is angina at rest. The transition of angina pectoris into an unstable form (angina at rest) is manifested by increased frequency and intensification of pain, but most importantly, by its appearance at rest and at night. In this case, you must immediately consult a doctor.

Variant angina is classified as a special form. Its peculiarity is that the pain attack is not associated with the load, but. occurs at the same time of day, usually early in the morning, and is characterized by a sharp spasm of a large cardiac artery. Taking nitroglycerin relieves pain. This variant of angina is often accompanied by heart rhythm disturbances.

What's happening? Attacks of angina pectoris occur against the background of physical activity (running, brisk walking, climbing stairs, lifting and carrying heavy objects), often with a sharp change in temperature (going outside the house in winter in severe frost). An attack of angina may also occur under the influence of stress, any strong emotions and nervous tension. Overeating is one of the provocateurs of an angina attack.

Angina pectoris is included in the concept of coronary heart disease along with myocardial infarction and cardiosclerosis.

The disease develops when the heart muscle does not receive enough blood, nutrients and experiences oxygen starvation. A sharp pain appears in the chest (“the cry of a starving myocardium”), lasting several minutes. The pain manifests itself in attacks, often radiating to the left arm, left shoulder, and under the shoulder blade. Particularly typical for angina pectoris is the appearance of pain after the patient leaves a warm room into the cold. Sometimes an angina attack begins at night (angina at rest). These attacks are considered more dangerous, as they indicate that the disease has already gone far and urgent measures need to be taken.

Angina attacks can be rare (1-2 times a week) or frequent (many times a day). Typically, one of the severe attacks ends with the appearance of a focus of necrosis in the heart muscle (myocardial infarction), followed by the formation of scar tissue in this area.

Due to sclerotic narrowing of the lumen of the coronary vessels, insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle occurs, causing severe pressing pain. Sudden attacks of chest pain (angina pectoris) occur, lasting 5-10 minutes, and each attack can cause death of a section of the heart muscle (myocardial infarction). This condition is most often relieved by taking nitroglycerin under the tongue.

For periodic sensations of interruptions in the functioning of the heart or cardioneuroses, tincture of hawthorn fruits is used. Place 7 heaped tablespoons of hawthorn berries (whole or chopped) and 7 cups of boiling water into a jar. The jar is wrapped, placed in a warm place, and left for 20-24 hours. After infusion, strain the medicine. Keep refrigerated. Use 1 glass 3 times a day with meals.

The main causes of angina are considered to be arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis of the heart vessels.

Provoking factors include overheating or hypothermia, physical activity, stress and extreme anxiety, drinking alcohol or heavy food.

Angina is classified as follows:

Angina at rest and angina at exertion.

Stable and unstable angina.

Angina pectoris manifests itself as follows. Suddenly, a painful attack occurs, and the pain is precisely paroxysmal in nature, that is, a person can accurately indicate the time of the onset of pain and the time of its disappearance. As a rule, pain occurs under certain conditions - physical activity, climbing a mountain, severe excitement, etc., and disappears after a short rest, calming down or taking nitroglycerin under the tongue.

Thanks to this study, it is possible to identify areas of oxygen starvation, i.e. myocardial ischemia. A stress test is performed that detects blood flow in the heart vessels at rest and during exercise. Doctors also prescribe an angiogram and coronary angiography to study changes in the blood vessels of the heart.

Treatment is divided into immediate, aimed at relieving the attack, and long-term, which aims to reduce the frequency of these attacks.

To combat pain, you need to take a nitrate drug, that is, nitroglycerin or corinfar. During the interictal period, long-acting nitrates, beta-blockers and calcium channel antagonists are prescribed.

Treatment

Nitroglycerin, as well as vasodilators, help to cope with an attack of angina and relieve pain.

Treatment for angina pectoris begins with stopping the attack.

1. To eliminate the factor that caused the attack, patients are prescribed complete physical and mental rest.

2. The patient is seated in a comfortable position with his legs down.

3. Nitroglycerin is given under the tongue - tablets or aerosol - 3 times every 3 minutes, nitrosorbide.

4. In case of mild attacks of angina or poor tolerance of nitroglycerin, it is replaced with a validol tablet (keep in the mouth until dissolved) or valocordin (Corvalol) - 10-15 drops orally per dose.

5. After stopping the pain attack, the patient needs bed rest.

Drug therapy is carried out under the strict supervision of a cardiologist or therapist.

In severe cases, they resort to surgical treatment aimed at restoring the patency of the arteries of the heart, resulting in improved blood supply.

For angina pectoris, the following remedies are used in folk practice:

Before starting treatment for angina pectoris, it is recommended to carry out 3 courses of therapeutic fasting for 7 days (followed by a 7-day recovery). If complete fasting is impossible, then you can do a partial fast - during the course, eat only nuts, honey, fruits, root vegetables and vegetables.

Mix equal parts of adonis herb and trifoliate herb. Pour 100 g of the mixture into 1 liter of vodka and leave in a dark place for 21 days. Strain. Drink 20 drops 3 times a day half an hour before meals.

Mix raisins, dried apricots, prunes and walnut kernels in equal parts. For 1 kg of mixture, add the pulp of one lemon with peel, but without seeds. Add 300 g of liquid honey to the mixture. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day on an empty stomach for any heart disease. The medicine strengthens the heart muscle and helps restore normal heart rhythm.

Healers always advise heart patients to drink tea from tricolor violet flowers. This tea should be drunk constantly, month after month, for a long time.

Mix garlic pulp and honey in equal quantities. Leave in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark place for 7 days, stirring the contents daily. Take but 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day for coronary heart disease, obliterating endarteritis, varicose veins and atherosclerosis.

Pick lily of the valley flowers and cover with sugar. During an attack of angina, place one pea under your tongue and suck.

Make a decoction of hawthorn flowers: 2 tbsp. spoons of dried flowers per glass of water. Boil for 5-7 minutes. Strain. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day.

Tincture: 10 g of dried hawthorn flowers per 100 ml of vodka. Leave for 14 days in a dark place, strain. Drink 25-30 drops 3 times a day.

St. John's wort infusion: 2 tbsp. Pour a glass of boiling water over spoons of dry herb and leave for 1 hour. Strain. Drink 50 ml 2-3 times a day.

Hawthorn fruit tea is beneficial: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of fruit in a glass of water. Boil for 10 minutes, leave for 2 hours, strain. Drink 1 glass 3 times a day as tea.

Motherwort infusion: 2 teaspoons of herb, pour 500 ml of boiled water and leave for 8 hours in a warm place. Take 1/4 cup 3-4 times a day half an hour before meals.

Mix the alcohol tincture of motherwort with the alcohol tincture of lily of the valley (pharmaceutical preparations) and take 30 drops 2-3 times a day for angina pectoris.

Tincture of stinking washer (pharmaceutical preparation). Take 25 drops 3 times a day for angina, hypertension and circulatory disorders.

Mountain arnica (flowers) - 2 tbsp. spoons, mustard seed powder - 1 tsp. spoon. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over arnica flowers and mustard and heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes, strain and squeeze. Take the infusion 1 tbsp. spoon diluted in milk 3 times a day after meals.

Basil (herb) - 2 tbsp. spoons, mustard seed powder - 1 tsp. spoon.

1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of a mixture of cornflower herb and mustard with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 2 hours and strain. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day.

Field toad (leaves) - 2 tbsp. spoons, mustard seed powder - 1 tsp. spoon.

Pour the mixture of raw materials with 2 glasses of water, boil for 30 minutes, cool and strain. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 6 times a day.

Prepare the mixture: yarrow - 1 part, valerian (root) - 1 part, St. John's wort - 1 part. 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of the mixture into a glass of cold water. Leave for 4 hours. Boil for 5 minutes. Leave at room temperature for 2 hours, strain. Drink 1/3 glass 3 times a day;

Take 1 kg of honey, squeeze or grind 10 medium-sized lemons with zest through a meat grinder, peel 10 heads of garlic (heads, not cloves!). Mix everything together and leave for a week in a sealed container. Drink 1 teaspoon 4 times a day, but not immediately, but slowly, savoring it, without rushing. Drink regularly until the medicine runs out - for 2 months.

One of the best ancient recipes for angina and cardiosclerosis: 10 tbsp. spoons of hawthorn, 5 tbsp. Place a tablespoon of rose hips (pre-chopped fruits are taken) into a saucepan. Spoons are placed on top. Pour 2 liters of boiling water. Wrap the pan warmly and place it in a warm place for 24 hours. Then strain the infusion through cheesecloth and begin treatment. Take 200 ml 3 times a day before meals. The medicine is useful for treating all heart ailments. It helps especially well after a myocardial infarction.

Boil 50 g of fresh lovage roots for 10 minutes in 1 liter of water. Leave for 2 hours, strain. Take 1/4 cup 4 times a day. Make a fresh decoction every day.

Grind 200 g of rowan bark and boil over low heat for 30 minutes in 500 ml of water. Leave for 2 hours, strain. Take 1 tbsp. spoon half an hour before meals 3 times a day.

For angina pectoris and cardiosclerosis, as well as for vascular diseases, a decoction of sunflower flowers is recommended: pour 1 glass of marginal sunflower flowers into 1 liter of water, boil for 5 minutes, leave for 1 hour, strain. Drink 150-200 ml 3 times a day.

30 g of dry crushed elecampane root per 500 ml of vodka. Leave for 14 days. Take 30-40 drops 3 times a day for cardiosclerosis and angina.

Mix the juice of 2 lemons with the juice of 3 medium-sized aloe leaves. Add 500 g of honey to the mixture and leave in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 7 days, stirring occasionally. Take 1 tbsp for angina pectoris. spoon 3 times a day on an empty stomach (one hour before meals). Carry out 3-4 courses of treatment with a break of 1 month.

For rapid heartbeat and pain in the heart area, use the following composition: valerian root - 2 suits, motherwort herb - 2 parts, yarrow herb - 1 part, anise fruit - 1 part. 1 tbsp. pour 300 ml of boiling water over a spoonful of the mixture and leave for 1 hour. Take 0.5 cups 3-4 times a day.

If you are worried about pain in the heart area, put 30-40 drops of valerian tincture into a glass and hold it in your mouth for 1-2 minutes. A mixture of tincture of valerian root and hawthorn works even better.

Chewing fresh lemon peel daily improves the functioning of the heart muscle.

The famous healer Lyudmila Kim advises rubbing fir oil into the heart area (below the nipple) during an attack of angina. Fir oil should be rubbed into the heart area 3-4 times a day. For one rubbing, 5-6 drops of fir oil are enough.

1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of lemon balm into 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes and drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day for tachycardia and cardiac neurosis, which often accompany angina.

Before treating angina or other heart diseases (if you are over 50), be sure to undergo treatment using the Tibetan method of cleansing with garlic and alcohol.

Many Russian and foreign authors believe that the cause of heart disease is an improper diet. According to N.V. Walker, “the starch molecule is insoluble in water, alcohol, or ether.” When eating foods containing starch, the blood becomes clogged with starch molecules, and it is much easier for the heart to pump clean blood, so it spends excess energy, quickly gets tired and exhausts its resources prematurely.

Hawthorn (flowers). Decoction. 2 tablespoons of dried flowers per glass of water. Boil for 10 minutes, when it cools down, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

Tincture: 10 g of dried flowers per 100 g of vodka. Leave for 21 days in a dark place. Strain, squeeze, take up to 20-25 drops 3 times a day. It’s even better to take 7 drops in warm water. Take so that everything dissolves in your mouth.

It is useful to drink tea from hawthorn fruits: 1 tablespoon of fruits per glass of water. Boil for 10-15 minutes, leave, covered, for 2 hours. Take a glass 3 times a day as tea. Some people successfully use jam from hawthorn fruits. Ripe fruits are collected, ground or crushed with sugar in a 1:1 ratio. They use this jam all winter.

There are no attacks.

Valerian (root). 10 g of dry root per 1 cup of boiling water. Leave, covered, for 1 hour, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day.

Tincture: take 20-30 drops 3 times a day.

St. John's wort - 1 part, yarrow - 1 part, valerian (root) - 1 part.

A tablespoon of the mixture per glass of cold water. Leave for 3 hours. Then put on the fire, let it boil, boil for 5 minutes. When cool, strain. Take a glass during the day in 3 doses.

Basil is stinky. Tincture. Pharmaceutical drug. Take 15-20 drops 3 times a day. It is used for angina pectoris, circulatory disorders, and hypertension.

Walker believes that the most sustainable way to treat heart disease is a vegetarian diet and consumption of raw vegetable juices. It is advisable to exclude sugar, dairy products and starch from the diet.

People suffering from angina pectoris should constantly take vitamin B and eat as much ox liver as possible. Ox blood is also useful for them.

Recipe from folk healer P.V. Karasev: grind 50-70 g of stinging nettle and put the resulting mass in a small enamel pan. Add 500 ml of water and after 30 minutes put on fire. Boil for 1 minute (with the lid open), strain, cool and store in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. Take 2 tbsp. spoons of decoction 3 times a day for 15 days. Every 5 days, take a break from treatment for 2-3 days.

To achieve the best effect, before the “nettle treatment” you should treat with a decoction of mulberry (mulberry) roots: chop 200 g of fresh roots, rinse well and pour cold water in an enamel container for 1 hour. Then boil for 15 minutes over low heat, cool and strain. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day half an hour before meals. Take the decoction in courses of 3 days (5 courses).

During an attack of angina (if there is no nitroglycerin), you can chew and swallow a small clove of garlic. The pain is relieved after 20-30 minutes.

V. Tishchenko recommends the following recipe for patients with angina pectoris: 5 tbsp. Mix tablespoons of finely chopped pine or spruce needles with 3 tbsp. spoons of chopped rose hips and 2 tbsp. spoons of onion peel. Pour the mixture into 700 ml of water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Leave overnight, wrapped warmly. Strain and drink 1.5-2 liters per day instead of water. Treatment is carried out for 4 months. If the kidneys are not bothered, then onion skins can be omitted.

Prevention of angina pectoris consists of treating diseases against which its attacks develop, primarily atherosclerosis and rheumatism, as well as colitis, cholecystitis and peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. An important role is played by the removal of neuropsychic and allergic processes that cause spasm of the coronary arteries and thus lead to angina attacks. Sports and hardening exercises, normal nutritious nutrition without overeating, a calm environment that excludes irritation - this is the background against which there is simply no room for the development of angina pectoris.

The prognosis for angina pectoris is not very favorable. If the underlying disease is atherosclerosis, this can lead to myocardial infarction and even death.

But with proper treatment, adherence to the regimen and diet, the prognosis can be significantly improved.

Angina pectoris is paroxysms of pain in the chest area, provoked by coronary heart disease. The disease is a form of coronary artery disease caused by atherosclerosis of the arteries of the heart. This is the initial process of a lack of blood supply to the heart, and its main symptoms appear with increased physical and emotional stress. Full treatment of angina at home is possible in the same way as in a hospital, but this is a serious illness that requires constant monitoring by a cardiologist.

  1. Insertion of a catheter into the vessels.
  2. Advancement of the catheter to the desired location in the cardiac artery.
  3. Inflating the balloon attached to the catheter.

After the balloon is inflated, the plaque ruptures, thereby freeing the artery and increasing its lumen. After surgery, the patient is given a repeat ECG and transferred to the intensive care unit. In the department, the patient is observed by the attending physician and a surgeon, who prescribes postoperative treatment.

Shunt surgery is performed in severe cases of the disease. During the operation, a new blood circulation pathway is formed. The goal of such treatment is to restore blood circulation in all affected arteries, therefore the number of shunts for each patient is individual.

Advice! Serious systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, prolonged blockage of an artery, pathology of the central trunk of arteries are a contraindication to angioplasty, which is why bypass surgery is more often used.

Treatment at home

Everyone with a diagnosis should know whether angina can be cured using traditional methods. For this, popular medicinal plants, tinctures, herbs and even ordinary products that can be found on the market (not in a supermarket in sealed packaging) are used.


Treatment at home can improve the effectiveness of drug treatment. At home, the patient must follow the doctor’s orders and follow all rules for taking medications and behavior.

What treatment medications should I take at home?

  1. Antiplatelet is Acetylsalicylic acid, which prevents the formation of blood clots and helps get rid of them at an early stage of formation.
  2. Beds - Atorvastatin, help reduce cholesterol.
  3. Beta-blockers – Bisaprolol, Metaprolol.
  4. Calcium antagonists - Verapamil drugs minimize myocardial oxygen consumption.
  5. Nitrates – Nitroglycerin, Isosorbide, which reduce the load on the heart and, therefore, prevent further attacks.

Advice! Taking medications prescribed by a doctor is mandatory. But besides this, you can independently prepare folk remedies for maintenance treatment.

Traditional methods for angina pectoris

Folk remedies are used in the form of tinctures, decoctions, drops, and teas. Among medicinal plants, herbs, fruits, you can use adonis herb, walnut, St. John's wort tincture, hawthorn fruits, motherwort and many others. Let us examine in more detail the recipes for preparing traditional medicines:


Advice! The use of any traditional method must be agreed with a doctor, since there may be allergic reactions or an overdose of any elements, which will complicate the course of the underlying disease.

Diet and exercise therapy for angina pectoris

Compliance with proper nutrition and physical activity is an extremely necessary measure for angina pectoris. First you need to eliminate fatty foods and foods high in carbohydrates. This is due to their high cholesterol content, which is deposited on blood vessels in the form of plaques, which provokes the main cause of angina - atherosclerosis.

For effective treatment, you need to exclude the following foods: dairy, butter, cream, lard, fatty meat, liver. Also minimize sugary water, confectionery, sweet fruits, honey, ice cream and white bread. Add the following foods: lean poultry and meat, seafood, cereals, nuts, low-fat dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits.


Daily meals should contain green vegetables, legumes, dairy products, fish, meat, brown bread and plenty of water. It is best to coordinate the menu for angina pectoris with a nutritionist and your attending physician, who better know the body’s needs.

Advice! Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages in cases of cardiovascular disease increases the risk of sudden death due to cardiac arrest several times and makes treatment ineffective.

Treatment of angina pectoris is a long and difficult process, which, with the patient’s responsible attitude, can significantly improve the quality of life and prolong it. Much depends on the patient’s lifestyle, compliance with all prevention rules, and emotional stability. The doctor’s task is to guide the patient to recovery, showing all possible options, both in a hospital setting and at home, but under the supervision of a doctor.

Angina is a disease accompanied by chest pain caused by decreased oxygen supply to the heart. If the heart requires more oxygen than is supplied to it, this results in decreased coronary blood flow, which causes chest pain. In Russia, symptoms of angina pectoris are observed in 6.3% of men and 7% of women. In this article, you'll learn how to treat angina and prevent more serious heart disease through lifestyle changes, diet, and medications.

Steps

Part 1

Treatment of angina at home

    Quit smoking. Smoking is one of the main risk factors for angina pectoris. This is because smoking narrows and damages blood vessels, causing high blood pressure. Obstruction of blood flow due to narrowing of blood vessels can lead to chest pain and even death. Thus, complete smoking cessation is a necessary step in the treatment of angina pectoris.

    • Quitting smoking can sometimes be very difficult, especially for smokers with many years of experience, who often experience so-called withdrawal when abruptly quitting smoking. If you are having difficulty, try quitting by gradually reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke and using nicotine patches and chewing gum.
    • More information on how to quit smoking can be found in this article.
  1. Reduce the number of stressful situations. Stress and depression can contribute to chest pain, so it is important to minimize these conditions and avoid stressful situations that increase the risk of exacerbation of angina.

    • If your job is causing you stress, consider delegating some of your responsibilities to someone else, reducing your workload or even reducing your working hours.
    • A number of methods and exercises that help you relax, such as meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga, also help reduce stress. Sign up for relevant classes near your home.
  2. Don't overexert yourself physically. Pain in the chest area can also be caused by excessive physical exertion. Get to know your body and its reactions better by identifying the symptoms that precede exercise-related chest pain.

    • If you feel pain coming on, stop physical activity immediately and rest for some time. Sit down, take a breath and wait until the alarming symptoms disappear.
    • This does not mean that you should abstain from all exercise; on the contrary, physical activity is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. You just need to know the limits and try not to exceed them.
  3. Eat a heart-healthy diet. This diet is the most important component in treating angina and keeping your heart in good shape. The diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables, high in dietary fiber and as low in cholesterol as possible.

    • It is important to eat unprocessed grains because they are high in cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber and help satisfy hunger, preventing overeating, which can cause chest discomfort.
    • As for proteins, it is necessary to give preference to animal products that contain small amounts of cholesterol, such as lean meat and turkey or chicken (without skin).
  4. Think about losing excess weight. If you are overweight, try to lose at least a few kilograms. Losing excess weight will reduce the strain on your heart and help lower your blood pressure.

    • Weight can be reduced by eating a healthy diet (described in the previous step) and limiting your intake of highly processed foods, high-calorie foods, and foods containing transgenic fats. You should also limit your alcohol intake as it increases blood pressure.
    • Try to devote 30 minutes a day to sports (with moderate exercise). Such activities may include brisk walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, gardening; this will help you lose weight and keep your heart in good shape.

    Part 2

    Medical methods
    1. To dilate blood vessels and soften their walls, take nitrates. Nitrates are the drugs most commonly used for angina, and they help dilate and relax blood vessels. This facilitates blood access to the heart, reducing the strain on the heart muscles.

      • Nitrates are available in two forms: nitroglycerin tablets taken orally and nitroglycerin patches applied to the skin.
    2. Take cholesterol-lowering medications. Lowering cholesterol levels is one of the most effective ways to treat angina pectoris. High cholesterol is one of the most important causes of cardiovascular disease. There are several types of drugs designed to lower cholesterol levels, such as:

      • Statins (atorvastatin and simvastatin)
      • Bile acid sequestrants (colestyramine and colesevelam)
      • Nicotinic acid (niacin)
      • Ezetemibe
    3. Try taking other medications. There is evidence that herbal preparations made from berries such as hawthorn help in the treatment of angina. These drugs are believed to help increase blood flow and have far fewer side effects than modern pharmaceutical drugs.

      • The standard daily dose is 500 milligrams, but you should first consult with your doctor to determine whether herbal medications will react with other medications you are taking.
      • An amino acid supplement, levocarnitine, may also help improve heart muscle metabolism. The recommended dose is 1,000 milligrams twice daily.
    4. Take a course of oxygen therapy. As a rule, this course is prescribed in case of exacerbation of angina pectoris, in order to improve the supply of oxygen to the heart and reduce pain. The patient inhales oxygen through the nose while wearing an oxygen mask. During this process, the doctor monitors the patient's pulse and breathing rate to make sure the treatment is working.

    5. As a last resort, surgery is performed. If lifestyle changes and medications do not help, and the patient is getting worse, surgery may be recommended. The most common operations for angina pectoris are:

      • Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. This operation is recommended in case of damage to one or two vessels and when the left ventricle is functioning normally.
      • Coronary bypass surgery. This operation is prescribed for patients with significant damage to the left main coronary artery, two or three diseased vessels, abnormalities in the left ventricle, or diabetes mellitus.

If a person is worried about his heart, then this always indicates a serious problem. Angina pectoris is a common disease of the heart and its blood vessels in older people.. Let's look at effective ways to treat angina pectoris or “angina pectoris,” as pressing pain in the chest was previously called.

Angina pectoris - can it be completely cured?

The heart muscle is supplied with blood through the coronary vessels. With age, fatty plaques appear inside these vessels - atherosclerosis. The lumen of the vessels becomes narrow, less blood flows to the heart. The heart muscle begins to experience hunger, and coronary heart disease develops. Its painful form is angina pectoris.

Promote the appearance of plaques:

  • Overweight;
  • Poor nutrition;
  • Low physical activity;
  • Smoking;
  • Congenital metabolic disorder - familial hypercholesterolemia;
  • Diabetes;
  • Age over 50 years.

The process of plaque formation is long and constantly progressing. There are drugs that stop further narrowing of the vessel or slow it down. But we cannot say that angina is curable forever.. You can only eliminate acute attacks of pain and slow down the progression of the disease.

This will increase life expectancy and prevent severe forms of coronary heart disease:

  • Myocardial infarction;
  • Severe rhythm disturbances.

Depending on the severity of angina, medication or surgery may be necessary. There are different classes of medications recommended, many of which people will take for the rest of their lives.

  • Lifestyle and diet;
  • Medications;
  • Means and methods of traditional medicine;
  • Surgical interventions.

Diet and lifestyle

The basis of angina is atherosclerosis. The development of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels occurs due to high levels of cholesterol in the blood. What matters is “low density” cholesterol, which is designated in blood tests as low-density lipoproteins (LDL).

  • Avoid eating fatty meats – lamb, pork;
  • Consume at least 300-400 grams of fresh vegetables and fruits every day;
  • Eat white fish dishes – cod, hake – at least twice a week;
  • Use mainly vegetable fats in food - sunflower, olive oils.

A person with angina should avoid smoking and regular drinking of alcohol. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels of the heart, which are already narrow due to plaque. The wall of blood vessels becomes very thin and brittle. This worsens the prognosis. Scientists have proven that smoking makes angina attacks more severe and frequent.

Alcohol impairs the nutrition of the heart muscle. It changes the composition of blood electrolytes. As a result, the heart does not receive the necessary elements. The heart muscle suffers, and an attack of pain occurs behind the sternum. Often, rhythm disturbances develop due to alcohol consumption. A person suffers from a feeling of interruptions in work and “fading” of the heart.

Folk remedies

Traditional methods of treatment for heart pain are not always effective enough. You can use herbs only after consulting your doctor. After all, angina is a serious, fatal pathology of the heart. And it is impossible to stop only at treatment with folk remedies.

In the absence of angina attacks, the following herbal preparations can help support the heart:

Regular medications for angina pectoris

After the diagnosis has been established, the question naturally arises of what to take for angina pectoris on a regular basis. Drugs that are created to treat angina pectoris can be divided into two large groups:

  1. Medicines from which a person does not feel the effect now, but they will definitely increase his life expectancy. Such tablets improve the condition of the heart and blood vessels unnoticed by the person himself.
  2. Antianginal medications that directly dilate blood vessels relieving the condition of a patient with angina here and now. They will not increase your life expectancy, but they will provide relief every day.

For people who suffer from angina, it seems that the first group is not needed at all. After all, it does not alleviate the condition right now, does not eliminate the attack of pain. But in fact, these are very important pills. They allow patients with angina to live to a ripe old age.

This includes medications such as:

  • Antiplatelet agents;
  • Statins;
  • ACE inhibitors and beta blockers for some patients.

Antiplatelet agents

These are aspirin, clopidogrel and their drugs:

  • "Plavix";
  • "ThromboASS";
  • "Cardiomagnyl".

Antiplatelet drugs are drugs that make the blood more fluid. Why is angina treated with blood thinners?

An atherosclerotic plaque, which is present in the vessels of the heart during angina, can rupture at any time. Platelets will begin to stick to its torn surface, and a blood clot will form. It will block the lumen of the vessel. Blood will stop flowing to the heart, the muscles will die and a heart attack will develop. Such a muscle will never be the same again; this part of the heart dies forever.

Aspirin or clopidogrel are taken daily. They are contraindicated only during an exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease. Typically, a person takes either aspirin or clopidogrel. But for a whole year after a myocardial infarction, doctors recommend taking both drugs. This therapy is called dual antiplatelet therapy.

Statins

Antianginal agents

The second group of drugs quickly helps and alleviates the patient’s condition. But these medications do not help avoid the dangerous consequences of angina attacks - myocardial infarction. Antianginal drugs or coronary lytics dilate the blood vessels of the heart, improving its nutrition during the period of action of the drug:

  • nitrates and nitrate-like: nitroglycerin, isoket;
  • calcium channel blockers: verapamil, amlodipine;
  • beta blockers: metoprolol, bisoprolol;
  • metabolic: trimetazidine, mildronate.

Physiotherapy

Angina attacks are triggered by physical activity. Therefore, many patients stop their already meager physical activity, completely depriving themselves of exercise. But this is radically wrong. The heart muscle and blood vessels need training. This is facilitated by moderate physical activity in the form of physical therapy.

A set of exercises must be developed by a qualified doctor - a specialist in physical therapy. You will first need to consult a cardiologist with a detailed report and diagnosis. An accurate diagnosis will allow the physical therapy doctor to select exercises in accordance with the severity of the disease.

The first lessons will seem very simple. They begin with breathing exercises, the role of which is to improve the supply of oxygen to the blood. In the future, classes will become more intense, different muscle groups will gradually be involved, from the hands and feet to the muscles of the chest and back.

If you experience any discomfort, be it heart pain, heaviness, or simply shortness of breath, you should stop exercising and report your symptoms to your doctor. Excessive load, especially in the first days of training, can provoke an attack of angina, so physical exercise should not be forced.

Massage

The use of massage for angina pectoris is allowed only in fully compensated patients, outside periods of exacerbation. It is prohibited to conduct massage courses when diagnosing unstable angina or angina of functional classes III-IV.

The best massage is considered to be the interscapular region and the cervicothoracic spine.. Impact on these points is used as part of a restorative massage. Sessions should not last more than 20 minutes, once a day, for 7-10 days. It is recommended to repeat the courses twice a year.

A properly performed massage improves metabolism and stimulates coronary circulation. At the same time, the condition of the central and autonomic nervous systems improves, which has a beneficial effect on the innervation of the heart. After a course of massage, nutritional processes in tissues improve, and the body’s overall resistance to stress increases.

Surgeries for angina pectoris

In severe cases of angina, a person needs surgery.

This treatment is indicated for:

  • Angina pectoris of III-IV functional classes, when attacks occur frequently and occur at rest;
  • When vasoconstriction reaches 70% or more.

Today medicine can offer two types of effective interventions:

  • Coronary artery bypass grafting;
  • Coronary stenting.

The first operation is more traumatic. In this case, the chest is completely opened, leaving the person with a large scar. But it is more effective. Coronary artery bypass grafting involves creating bypasses in the blood vessels. Instead of those vessels that are heavily clogged with plaques, surgeons create new ones. They will be supplied with blood directly from a large vessel - the aorta.

Coronary stenting is a less traumatic operation. With it, the chest is not opened. Only a small puncture is made in the thigh. A small stent is inserted through it - a spring, which will open in the vessel affected by the plaque. This will open the vessel and blood flow will be restored.

Help with a seizure at home

During an acute attack of angina, a person feels severe, pressing pain behind the sternum. It can radiate into the arm, usually the left, as well as under the left shoulder blade and into the lower jaw. If the attack is not stopped, the heart muscle will begin to die - myocardial infarction will develop.

Therefore, it is important that every person knows how to relieve an attack at home and what to do if nitroglycerin does not help:

  1. Stop, sit down. If there are people nearby, tell them about your condition, about your illness.
  2. Take one dose of nitroglycerin medications. Wait 5 minutes.
  3. If during this time the attack has not passed, take another dose of nitroglycerin. Wait another 5 minutes.
  4. If the attack does not go away after the second dose of nitroglycerin, then a dangerous condition begins to develop. You should take a third dose of nitroglycerin, chew an aspirin or clopidogrel tablet and call an ambulance.
  5. The emergency dispatcher should provide your address and your symptoms.: pain behind the sternum that does not go away from taking nitroglycerin. This will allow the dispatcher to recognize a possible heart attack and send a special cardiology team.

If an ambulance detects the development of a blood clot in a vessel, it may consider it necessary to perform thrombolysis. This is a dangerous but very effective procedure. A drug is injected into a vein to completely dissolve the blood clot. The heart muscle will begin to feed on blood again, and the development of myocardial infarction will be avoided.

If a person has coronary heart disease, he is probably also worried about angina pectoris, after all. This is the most common clinical manifestation of IHD. The symptom is characterized by pressure or compression of the chest from the inside, in the area of ​​the heart, which gradually turns into pain. You should not endure such discomfort, because modern medicine has many ways to quickly get rid of it. How to treat angina pectoris, read more in the article.

Medications

Any pathology that occurs with disruption of the cardiovascular system must be treated with drugs from certain groups at the same time. Angina is no exception. Drug interactions enhance the therapeutic effect of the drugs taken.

Nitrates

Nitrates help relax the myocardium, which reduces the need for oxygen and relieves painful spasms of the heart muscle. In addition, such drugs affect the expansion of peripheral blood vessels, regulating blood circulation in the organ.

One of the representatives of nitrates is Nitroglycerin, which experts consider the most effective in relieving a painful attack during angina pectoris. The main advantage of the drug is rapid absorption by the mucous membranes. The dosage is calculated taking into account pressure indicators and what concomitant diseases occur in the body.

Another drug is Nitrosorbide. The active components help reduce pressure in the pulmonary circulation and thereby relieve the myocardium. Compared to Nitroglycerin, Nitrosorbide has low absorption, which affects the speed of onset of the therapeutic effect. Single dosage – 10 mg during an attack.

No less effective is Nitroderm TTS, which is also used in the treatment of angina pectoris. The drug is released in the form of a patch with active substances in its composition, which slowly delivers nitrates to the layers of the dermis. The patch is used both as a therapeutic and as a prophylactic agent. You can regulate the dosage of active substances by choosing the size of the plate, which can be small or large.

Beta blockers

Such drugs are included in the mandatory treatment of angina pectoris and, accordingly, coronary heart disease. Beta blockers have a dose-dependent effect and for this reason the dosage is selected taking into account the clinical effect of administration.

The drugs reduce the frequency and strength of heart contractions, as well as blood pressure. Taking medications does not cause a stress-induced increase in metabolic processes in the myocardium. This reduces the need for oxygen and eliminates the imbalance between this need and its delivery by the coronary bloodstream.

The drug Anaprilin will help eliminate the symptoms of angina pectoris

The beta blocker Inderal has antianginal, antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic effects. The effect of active components helps to increase smooth muscle tone, which can cause an exacerbation of any obstructive disease (for example, chronic asthmatic bronchitis or asthma).

Another remedy is Anaprilin, which is well tolerated by the body and can be selected in a convenient dosage. It has antianginal, hypotensive and antiarrhythmic effects. Release form: tablets. The daily dosage is calculated individually for each patient and, as a rule, it is 20–40 mg.

Treatment of angina pectoris can be carried out using the drug Andarilin, which contains the substance propranolol. Helps lower blood pressure by reducing cardiac output and suppressing the activity of baroreceptors in the aortic arch. The initial daily dosage is 40 mg three times a day with a gradual increase to 160 mg.

Another beta blocker is Pindolol. It has a weaker therapeutic effect than other drugs from this group, but has increased safety in the treatment of angina pectoris occurring in combination with diabetes mellitus or bronchospasm.

Calcium channel blockers

Angina can also be treated with medications such as calcium channel blockers. The drugs are particularly effective against the development of variant angina, which is characterized by spasms of the coronary vessels. Blockers are used both in monotherapy and in combination with taking nitrates or beta-blockers. The drugs help relax smooth muscles, improve blood circulation in the kidneys, and remove excess water and salt from the body. For angina pectoris, blockers help reduce the heart rate.

Adalat is most often used in tablet form.

The drug Nifedipine has a dilating effect on arterial vessels; their inotropic effect does not cause antiarrhythmic activity. Peripheral arteries dilate due to a slight reflex increase in heart contractions. A single dosage of the drug is 2 tablets, which are not washed down with water, but kept in the mouth until completely dissolved.

Another remedy is Adalat, which can be in tablet, capsule form, or in the form of a solution for infusion. Oral drugs are used in the treatment of any type of angina, while drugs in parenteral form are needed only to relieve spasms of the coronary arteries and hypertensive crisis.

The calcium channel blocker Nifelat is released in the form of tablets, the active substance of which is nifedipine. The medicine is used both in the treatment of an attack of the disease and for their prevention.

Antiplatelet agents

The attending physician may prescribe antiplatelet agents, the main actions of which are to prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of myocardial infarction. The active components of the drugs, when they enter the body, prevent red blood cells from sticking together and help improve coronary blood flow.

One of the representatives of antiplatelet agents is the well-known Aspirin, which is taken in the evening after meals in a single dosage of 75–150 mg. The drug, despite its effectiveness, has a negative effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. For this reason, the medicine is not prescribed for a long term and, most often, enteric-coated tablets are used (for example, Thrombo-ACC or Cardi-ASA).

Diuretics

Due to the diuretic effect of such drugs, swelling from the arterial walls with spasm disappears. Diuretics are used in complex therapy of the disease along with other drugs.

Lasix tablets are prescribed to relieve the pulmonary artery and left ventricle of the heart

The drug Chlorthalidone is often prescribed in a daily dosage of 1 tablet. If necessary, the dosage is increased (usually if severe attacks are observed). The tablets do not flush out sodium and potassium from the body, like Lasix, which is used in extreme cases.

Vitamin preparations

It is possible to completely restore the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system in combination with taking vitamin preparations based on group B, ascorbic acid, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. For example, drugs such as Milgamma, Doppelherz, Magnerot, Asparkam, Napravit, etc. are actively prescribed.

Diet and lifestyle

Is it possible to permanently cure angina? This is only possible with the help of complex therapy, when taking medications is combined with maintaining the right lifestyle and diet.

Proper nutrition for people suffering from angina is an important element in its treatment. Products should be selected in such a way that their consumption does not contribute to an increase in normal cholesterol levels in the body. Experts recommend not to abuse fatty foods and not to overeat.

First of all, your diet should include fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Garlic and onions contain potassium, which is good for heart function. They also need to be included in your daily diet. Additionally, garlic and onions help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Fried and fatty foods are excluded from the diet during the period of treatment of the disease.

Physical labor must be excluded during the period of treatment of angina pectoris. A minimum load is permissible, but only in consultation with a doctor.

Folk remedies

Treatment at home can be supplemented with folk remedies. Mint, from which tea is prepared, is effective in the treatment of angina pectoris. The plant copes well with heart pain and diseases of the pulmonary system. The folk remedy is prepared as follows:

  • take 5 tsp. raw materials;
  • pour boiling water in a volume of 1 liter;
  • leave for 2 hours.

Take the prepared infusion orally instead of tea throughout the day.

The second way to treat the disease is to take an infusion made from garlic, honey and lemon:

  • Peel 4 heads of garlic and 10 lemons;
  • squeeze the juice out of them;
  • mix with honey in a volume of 1 liter.

Leave the mixture to steep for 7 days in a dark and cool place. The finished product is consumed orally, 2 tbsp. 1 per day.

The third way to treat at home is to eat lemon peel before meals. You need to use a small piece (from one citrus slice). In combination with proper nutrition, lemon therapy will bring positive results in a short time.

You can prepare juice from aloe (3 leaves) and lemon (2 zest) with the addition of honey (500 g). Place the resulting mixture in a cold place and leave for 24 hours. Take a folk remedy before meals, 1 tsp.

Operation

Often drug therapy is ineffective. In such cases, the only option is surgery. There are 2 most effective ways:

  • balloon angioplasty;
  • coronary artery bypass grafting.

Balloon angioplasty helps restore normal blood supply to the myocardium. The operation is as follows: using a special catheter, which is inserted through the femoral artery to the area of ​​narrowing of the coronary artery, a deflated balloon is installed, which gradually expands and crushes the atherosclerotic plaque. In this case, restoration of impaired blood flow is observed.

Coronary artery bypass grafting helps restore blood supply to the myocardium below the zone where the atherosclerotic narrowing is located. During the operation, the surgeon creates a different path for blood flow to the affected area. As a rule, this surgical technique is used in cases of concomitant diabetes mellitus and extended arterial blockage.

Angina can be cured, but only if therapy is started in a timely manner, at the initial stage of development. In this case, you can limit yourself to medications, whereas at an advanced stage it is no longer possible to do without surgical intervention.