Emergency medical attention is necessary.
Keep in mind, though, that many patients with angina do not have classic symptoms.
Nausea, breathlessness, or merely a feeling ofheartburnmay be the only symptom.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
In addition, people without any history of coronary artery disease can also develop unstable angina.
Anginal symptoms that are brought on by less exertion than previously.
What triggers this is often unknown.
In other words, the imminent risk of a complete heart attack is very high with unstable angina.
Unstable angina is so-named because it no longer follows the predictable patterns typical of stable angina.
Obviously, such a condition is quite uncertain and, as such, is a medical emergency.
Symptoms occur in an unpredictable fashion and without a known trigger.
Often occurs at rest and make wake you from sleep.
Symptoms can last 30 minutes or more.
Symptoms tend to follow a pattern.
Symptoms are typically brought on by exertion, fatigue, anger, or some other form of stress.
Symptoms usually last about 15 minutes.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of unstable angina is often done in the emergency room.
Symptoms are critically important in making the diagnosis of unstable angina, or indeed, any form of ACS.
High-sensitivity cardiac troponins are the preferred biomarker to detect or exclude myocardial injury (heart cell damage).
The results of these tests, together with review of your symptoms, will help confirm a diagnosis.
In both of these conditions, the symptoms of unstable angina are present.
“Smaller” MI, a.k.a.
Medications to stop blood clot formation within the affected artery are also given.
There are three main types of medications used to treat unstable angina: anti-ischemics, antiplatelets, and anticoagulants.
Anti-Ischemic Therapy
Sublingual nitroglycerin, an anti-ischemic medication, is often given to alleviate any ischemic chest pain.
Morphine may also be given for persistent pain.
Antiplatelet Therapy
Antiplatelet medications, which prevent platelet clumping, will be given as well.
This includes bothaspirinand aplatelet P2Y12 receptor blockereither Plavix (clopidogrel) or Brilinita (ticagrelor).
Anticoagulant Therapy
Anticoagulants thin the blood.
Examples include unfractionated heparin (UFH) and Lovenox (enoxaparin).
percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI).
Determining whether to proceed with angioplasty and stenting is a very important decision.
2014;64(24):e139-e228.
doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.09.017
Hamm CW, Braunwald E.A classification of unstable angina revisited.Circulation.
2021;144(22).
2002;162(14):1585-9. doi:10.1001/archinte.162.14.1585
