Differentiate angina from M I with regard to its cause and the characteristics of pain associated with it?
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Well, angina is caused by a decreased blood flow to the heart. Myocardial Infarction is caused by a stoppage of blood flow to the heart and results in the death of cardiac tissue. The symptoms are the same, generally. Nitroglycerin will make the pain stop for angina. But if you've taken Nitroglycerin and the pain still persists after about 10 to 15 minutes, it's best to call 911 because this is probably MI.
Angina actually is your body warning you of an impending MI which is a full heart attack. Angina, pain in your chest moderate to bad can be felt in your left jaw, down your left arm and chest, and when you exercise more, the pain gets worse, when you rest and the pain subsides, you know your heart is telling you to slow down before you have the big one...The MI is a full cardiac arrest! You will feel a sudden onset of incredible pain, associated with sweating, pale pallour to skin and clammy feeling in your face. MI means myocardial (which is the heart itself (muscle) infarction means cessation of oxygenated blood, dying of heart muscle. Hope that makes sense
angina means the pain related to the heart not receiving enough oxygen...the blood carries the oxygen...an MI is actual tissue damage/death due to the heart not receiving enough oxygen...
the causes are the same, lack of oxygen, lack of blood flow.
angina usually is differentiated as intermittant pain, pain that comes and goes, without causing tissue damge/death...an EKG, lab tests, echocardiogram, angiogram, stress tests, etc can all be used to determine if the person was experiencing pain without tissue damage = angina.versus these same tests and procedures showing that with or without the person experiencing pain, tissue damage/death has occured = MI.
Angina is a sign that there is decresed blood flow to the heart usually caused by some blockage to the coronary ( heart) arteries such as atheriosclerosis (build up of plaque ). This pain is usually intermittent and can be brought on by exertion,emotional stress, and exposure to cold. The pain radiates done the inner left arm and is frequently accompanied by a feeling of suffocation and impending death. This type of pain is usually relieved with a medication call nitroglycerin and it's recommended to take an antacid. I'm hoping that you have nitroglycerin availabe to you at all times. Should you take more than 3( protocol is to take one and is there is no relief within 15 minutes, take another and repeat up to 3 times. If there is no relief, then call 911. This would indicate a heart attack vs. angina. Nitroglycerin dialtes the blood vessels so the blood flow increased to relieve the pain. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to differentiate angina vs. MI. Other symptoms of angina, pain that radiates ( spreads) to the neck, jaw, arms and back. You make experience shortness of breath, fatigue, faintness and syncope ( passing out). MI: chest discomfort in the center of the chest that last more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comesback. It can feel likeuncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Symptoms can include pain or disomfort in one or both arms, the neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath, this may occur with or without chest discomfort.Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, lightheadedness, sense of impending doom,mean that you are experiencing a heart attack which, should that occur, causing irrepairable damage to the heart muscle. You should be wearing a medical alert bracelet in the event of an emergency. I hope that this has helped.
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