On the initiative of the European Society of Cardiology, Angina Awareness Week is celebrated every year. In Poland, this year we are celebrating the week from 18-24 September. During this time, activities have been planned to build public awareness of angina pectoris, which remains a serious cardiac condition that, if diagnosed too late and untreated, can lead to serious complications - heart attack or stroke.
The Polish edition of the 'Angina Awareness Initiative' campaign ('Know your angina') is supported by the Polish Cardiac Society.
Angina pectoris = angina pectoris
Angina pectoris, also known as angina pectoris, is a set of symptoms resulting from
from the limited supply of oxygen to the heart muscle in relation to its needs.
Under normal conditions, the heart receives sufficient oxygen and nutrients through the coronary arteries to ensure its proper functioning. However, during increased oxygen demand, such as during physical exertion or in response to emotions, narrowing of the coronary arteries can result in insufficient oxygen supply to the heart muscle. This oxygen deficit manifests itself as a characteristic pain
in the sternal region, which is often described as a feeling of pressure and is typical of angina.
Epidemiology:
Ischaemic heart disease is one of the so-called diseases of civilisation and occurs on average
The incidence increases with age: it usually occurs after the age of 40 in men and after the age of 50 in women. According to expert estimates, between two and four people per 1,000 population develop angina each year in Europe,
and between 20 and 40 people per 1 000 inhabitants are affected. Approximately 1.5 million people in Poland may suffer from angina, and up to 8.5 million in the USA. Unfortunately, many people are not aware that they have the disease and are undiagnosed and not included in the statistics.
Risk factors:
The occurrence of angina is favoured by factors such as hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes, obesity, lack of regular physical activity, and an unhealthy diet: a diet low in fruit and vegetables and high in animal fats.
Symptoms of angina:
The most common symptom of angina pectoris is a complaint of pain, although the description may vary between patients. Patients often describe the pain as burning, choking or even squeezing. The characteristic angina pain is usually localised behind the sternum and may diffuse to the left side of the body, particularly involving the left shoulder, scapula and jaw area. Patients also often report a feeling of breathlessness, heart palpitations and feelings of anxiety.
Prof. Piotr Jankowski, content coordinator in Poland of the international education and information campaign 'Know your angina', draws attention to and sensitises people to unusual symptoms: "Any discomfort in the chest, arms, shoulders or neck, a feeling of heaviness, pressure, burning - these are all conditions that should prompt us to go to the doctor. But we need to know that angina may also have non-obvious symptoms - pain may also appear on the right side of the chest or under the sternum, not necessarily related to physical exertion. Symptoms can take the form of breathlessness, tiring more quickly than some time ago, sudden deterioration of general health, fainting, heart palpitations. The disease can take on a wide variety of masks and diagnosis is sometimes not easy."
And it describes what the procedure looks like to diagnose the patient:
"Firstly, the doctor discusses any ailments, other conditions, medications used. Secondly, the doctor examines the patient thoroughly. And then he often orders laboratory blood tests, an ECG, and in some cases he also orders other tests, such as echocardiography of the heart, 24-hour ECG monitoring, a stress test,
and sometimes more specialised examinations and naturally implements appropriate treatment.".
Treatment of angina pectoris:
Therapy for angina pectoris focuses mainly on pharmacological treatment with the aim of alleviating the symptoms of the disease, improving patients' quality of life and preventing cardiovascular incidents that can lead to serious consequences, including death. As part of the treatment of angina pectoris, the priority is to control coronary artery lesions and prevent myocardial hypoxia. In some cases, interventional treatment, such as revascularisation procedures, is used in patients who meet the relevant criteria. Prevention plays an important supporting role in the treatment of all cardiovascular conditions, including angina. Above all, efforts should be made to combat risk factors for atherosclerosis, treating diseases that aggravate angina, such as anaemia, hyperthyroidism or cardiac arrhythmias.
What to do to avoid getting angina?
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle: It is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular physical activity, a healthy diet and avoiding harmful habits.
- Avoid tobacco smoke: It is important to avoid smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke, as smoking is one of the main risk factors for heart disease, including angina.
- Use regular physical activity: It is worthwhile to devote 20-30 minutes every day to moderate exercise that induces a slight breathlessness. Regular activity strengthens the heart and cardiovascular system.
- Implement a healthy diet: The diet should be rich in plant-based products, limit animal fats and avoid highly processed products. Excessive sweets and fizzy sweetened drinks should also be avoided.
- Be mindful of preventive examinations: Regular preventive examinations, such as measuring weight, blood pressure and blood cholesterol and glucose levels, can help detect early signs of heart disease and angina.
Polish Angina Awareness Week (18-24 September 2023).
As part of the campaign, the organisers have prepared a series of activities with the main aim of focusing attention on the health problem of angina. The intention is to educate the public primarily about the symptoms and the need to respond
in the event of their occurrence, in addition to promoting prevention and healthy lifestyles.
Inhabitants of 15 cities in Poland (Warsaw, Krakow, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdynia, Białystok, Katowice, Chorzów, Bytom, Siemianowice Śląskie, Mysłowice, Piekary Śląskie, Zabrze, Tarnowskie Góry) travelling by public transport (buses/trams) between 18 and 24 September will have the opportunity to watch a short educational spot on angina pectoris, which will be displayed on advertising media. In addition, the organisers have planned intensified media activities to raise awareness of angina.
Details of the campaign and educational material on angina - including information about the disease, tips on symptoms, how to recognise it and how to live
with angina are available at www.dbajoserce.pl/poznaj-dlawice