How common is angina?

Honor Society of Nursing (STTI)

Angina is fairly common. About 350,000 people are diagnosed with angina each year in the United States alone. About 6.5 million people in the U.S. have angina. Stable angina is the most common, while unstable angina is a less common type of angina. Variant angina occurs in only about 2 percent of angina cases.

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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Angina

Just a fancy name for chest pain or discomfort, angina often points to an underlying heart problem. Although you may experience pressure or a squeezing sensation in your chest, the feeling may also occur in your neck, jaw, shoulders, back or arms. These symptoms warn doctors that you may have coronary heart disease, the most common form of heart disease in adults. (The fatty material that causes heart disease restricts the arteries; this restriction causes a reduction of oxygenated blood to the heart muscles, leading to chest pain.) Not all chest pain is caused by heart problems. Angina can result from a lung infection, panic attack or even a blockage in an artery of the lung, called pulmonary embolism. Always see a doctor so he or she can determine why you are having chest pain.

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