Angina Chest Pain Explained | Angina Pain, Symptoms & Causes + Heart Attack Warning Signs

Chest pain can be frightening — but understanding the difference between angina and a heart attack could genuinely save your life. In this video, Dr James O’Donovan explains what angina feels like, why it happens, how it’s treated, and five key red-flag warning signs that mean you should seek emergency medical care. 📋 Contents and Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:37 – What is angina? 00:59 – What does angina feel like? 01:56 – When chest pain is not typical angina 02:23 – Causes and risk factors 03:13 – How angina is diagnosed 03:36 – Treatment options 04:23 – Lifestyle and self-care advice 04:55 – When to seek urgent medical help 💡 Causes Angina is most commonly caused by coronary heart disease, where fatty deposits (atheroma) narrow the arteries that supply the heart. Other types include vasospastic (Prinzmetal’s) angina and microvascular angina, which involve abnormal tightening of blood vessels rather than blockage. ⚠️ Symptoms Typical angina causes a tightness, pressure, squeezing or heaviness in the chest, which may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, shoulders or back. Symptoms often occur with activity or stress and usually improve with rest or medication such as GTN spray. Seek urgent help if chest pain: - Comes on at rest - Lasts longer than 10 minutes - Is severe or worsening - Doesn’t improve with rest or medication 💊 Treatment Treatment focuses on two goals — relieving symptoms and reducing future heart risk. This may include: - GTN spray or tablets for rapid symptom relief - Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, or nitrates to prevent attacks - Statins, low-dose aspirin, or blood pressure medicines to protect the heart - Lifestyle measures such as stopping smoking, healthy eating, staying active, and managing stress In some cases, procedures like angioplasty or bypass surgery may be recommended to improve blood flow. 🩺 When to Seek Medical Advice Contact your health provider if: You have chest pain that comes and goes Your angina is getting worse, more frequent, or lasting longer You’re unsure whether your symptoms are angina or something else Call 999 (UK) or your local emergency number immediately if: Chest pain lasts more than 10 minutes Pain doesn’t improve with GTN or rest Pain spreads to your arm, jaw, neck, back, or stomach You feel sweaty, sick, faint, or short of breath 🌐 Further Information NHS. Angina (Chest Pain). NHS UK. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/angina/ (Accessed 4 December 2025). NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Angina – Stable. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Available at: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/angina-stable/ (Accessed 4 December 2025). BMJ Best Practice. Stable Angina. BMJ Publishing Group. Available at: https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/1101 (Accessed 4 December 2025). Mayo Clinic. Angina. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/angina/ (Accessed 4 December 2025). British Heart Foundation. Angina – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/angina (Accessed 4 December 2025). ⚠️ Disclaimer This video is for general educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have chest pain or symptoms you’re worried about, seek urgent medical help or speak to your GP. 📅 Publication Information Published: 4 December 2025 Next review due: December 2026 Conflict of interest: None declared