Learn about Angina, unstable symptoms from Consumer Reports Health.

Angina, unstable

What are the symptoms of unstable angina?

The main symptom of unstable angina is a bad pain in your chest. But it can come on in different ways.

Here are some ways this chest pain might come on.

Source:
Grech ED, Ramsdale DR.
Acute coronary syndrome: unstable angina and infarction non-ST segment elevation myocardial.
BMJ. 2003; 326; 1259-1261.

Source:
European Society of Cardiology.
Management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation.
European Heart Journal. 2002; 23, 1809-1840.

It may be a very bad pain that you have never had before.
It may be a worsening of a type of chest discomfort or pain that you have had before called stable angina. With unstable angina, this discomfort or pain might hurt more, last longer (20 minutes or more), happen more often or not go away when you take your angina medication.
It may be chest pain that happens when you are resting or not being very active.

About 8 in 10 people with unstable angina say that prolonged pain is the main symptom.

Source:
European Society of Cardiology.
Management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation.
European Heart Journal. 2002; 23, 1809-1840.

² About 2 in 10 say it is a very bad new pain or a worsening of what was stable angina.

Unstable angina is different from stable angina in a couple main ways.

It can happen any time, not just when you're exerting yourself, like when you're walking up a hill or running to catch a bus. You can get unstable angina when you are at rest.
It is less likely to go away when you rest.

The pain of unstable angina can feel as if there's a weight on your chest or like a squeezing, crushing or gripping sensation.

The feeling is usually in the middle of the chest, spreading out to both sides.
But you may get it in your neck and jaw, or less often in your back. Or it may go down one or both of your arms and make them feel heavy.
You may get stomach pain.
You may feel as if you have indigestion.
The pain might also start somewhere else and only later spread to your chest.
You may be more and more breathless and sweaty. Or you may feel sick to your stomach or exhausted.
You may also feel uneasy and anxious.

If you have discomfort that lasts only a few seconds or a dull ache lasting for hours, it's probably not unstable angina. Pain in your chest isn't always angina. You can also get chest pain from conditions that don't affect your heart. But only your doctor can say for certain, so be sure to get it checked out. For more, see Other causes of chest pain.

Sources for the information on this page:

Grech ED, Ramsdale DR.Acute coronary syndrome: unstable angina and infarction non-ST segment elevation myocardial.BMJ. 2003; 326; 1259-1261.

European Society of Cardiology.Management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation.European Heart Journal. 2002; 23, 1809-1840.

This information was last updated on May 11, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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