Angina
Background
Heart disease is the 2nd killer disease in Hong Kong after cancer. Coronary heart disease is a major type of heart disease. Incidence and prevalence of ischemic heart disease rise with age. As many as 30% of people aged >65 years in the developed world have angina or myocardial infarction (MI) and a further 30% have covert (asymptomatic) disease. Angina is a sensation of chest pain typically squeezing or pressure like due to ischemic heart disease. When the coronary vessels become narrowed, the blood supply of heart muscle may be impaired. This is aggravated on exertion when oxygen demand increases. Heart attack occurs with severe occlusion of coronary vessel leading to heart muscle death. However, it is not unusual for the elderly to have silent ischemia. Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases include hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking and family history of angina or cardiac muscle infarction. The untreated ischemic chest pain can cause cardiac muscle infarction, complicated by sudden cardiac death, shock, acute decompensated heart failure or congestive heart failure.
Cardiovascular System
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