A team from the University of York led by Professor Bob Lewin produced evidence-based guidelines for managing stable angina. Angina is characterized by tight or heavy pain in the chest as a result of stress, most often exercise or excitement. Plan participants must be stabilized, that is their symptoms are predictable and controlled by medications. The Angina Plan is facilitated by trained professionals, usually nurses, but basic information about the plan can be followed by anyone. The guidelines were published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
Access to Care Relieves Anxiety
While stable angina is most often treated by family doctors, patients enrolled in the Angina Plan are given detailed instructions when and how to access cardiologists and emergency care. Such access arrangements provide safety and confidence that any changes relative to the stability of their condition will be swiftly evaluated and treated if necessary. The results of tests such as electrocardiography (ECG), exercise tolerance test (ETT) and Myocardial Profusion Scintigraphy (MPS) are reviewed with patients.
Angina Does not Mean a Heart Attack
When the diagnosis of angina is received, it comes with concerns and misunderstandings about what is happening in the body. Patients may lose interest in life and develop depression as a result. With angina the squeezing pain, sometimes felt in the left arm, jaw, or neck and which goes away with rest, comes from reduced arterial flow to the heart. It is a warning sign, but the problem is in the blood vessels that supply the heart and not in the heart muscle itself.
Exercise is Good for Angina
To reduce symptoms and increase blood flow, patients may be advised to take medication prior to exercise, and to pace themselves during activity to reduce the buildup of pressure in arteries. Moderate exercise, such as walking, helps smaller blood vessels around the heart to expand, compensating for partially blocked arteries and increasing oxygenated blood flow to the heart. Patients who are afraid to be active and therefore do not do things they used to enjoy actually make their condition worse.
Relaxation Increases Circulation
Restricted blood flow that causes pain can be relieved by relaxation. Patients on the Angina Plan are given tapes or CDs with guided relaxation exercises. Listening to these regularly increases competence and confidence. When the body and mind relax, the blood vessels dilate and open, allowing more blood flow to nourish the heart muscle causing pain to subside. Learning relaxation and meditation techniques gives those with angina a sense of control over their symptoms, halting the cycle of panic, tension, and constriction.
The Role of Diet in the Angina Plan
Angina plan facilitators stress the need to change detrimental dietary habits. More fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and good fats must replace processed foods, saturated fats and hydrogenated oils to prevent further arterial damage. While angina is a warning sign of heart disease, it is also treatable with medications and healthy lifestyle choices.
Meeting the Goals of the Angina Plan Involves Others
Those on the Angina Plan will receive referrals to support groups where they can meet others with similar issues. Educating family members ensures that angina patients have the support they need from those at home. Angina is more common in those with a family history of heart disease, smokers, and those who are diabetic or have a history of hypertension. To reduce angina symptoms, a more active and healthier lifestyle go hand-in-hand with medical treatments. Significant others are often the most surprised with results when loved ones are enrolled in the Angina Plan.
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