What are the signs and symptoms of angina?

Angina is the pain associated with coronary heart disease. The pain is often described as a heaviness, tightness or pain in the centre of the chest, which may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, between the shoulder blades or stomach. Some people often describe a dull, persistent ache. For some people the pain or tightness is severe, for others it is not much more than a mild discomfort.

Symptoms will often come and go when you are active. The pain generally lasts for about three to five minutes and should be relieved by rest and medication called glycerine trinitrate. Angina with these symptoms is known as stable angina.

In severe cases the pain may come on when you are at rest. This is known as unstable angina. If the pattern of your angina changes in this way, you need to tell your GP or cardiologist.