aspirin, may also be prescribed.
An anti-angina medication called ranolazine may also help, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Surgical options are angioplasty and stenting, which involves widening an artery with a balloon and then inserting a metal tube to keep it open, according to the Mayo Clinic.
A study published recently in the journal Circulation, found the overall risk of death to be similar for simple angina whether treatment included surgery or medications and lifestyle interventions.
“If a patient with mild angina controlled by medical therapy wants these narrowings [of arteries] ‘fixed,’ which some patients do, it’s very reasonable to go ahead and do that because they’re not going to be harmed,” lead researcher Dr. Judith Hochman, director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, said when the study was released.
“The same is true for a conservative strategy,” Hochman adds. “There are many patients that just don’t want invasive procedures.”
Treatment for unstable angina can include angioplasty and stenting or coronary artery bypass graft surgery, according to the AHA.
The latter surgery bypasses a blocked artery by using a piece of healthy blood vessel from another part of the body, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Both the traditional open heart surgery or less invasive methods may be used.
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How to prevent angina pectoris
Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends maintaining a healthy lifestyle to prevent angina symptoms.
Lifestyle changes can include eating a healthy diet, with limited sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Exercise using a safe plan developed with your doctor, lose excess weight and quit smoking, the Mayo Clinic suggests.
Manage medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, Mayo Clinic recommends. This includes taking medications as prescribed, Johns Hopkins Medicine notes.
Manage stress and work toward a healthy weight, Johns Hopkins suggests.