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Angina pectoris, or simply angina, refers to chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart, in a condition known as myocardial ischemia. 

Symptoms: Angina is described as a squeezing pain or heaviness in the chest, which may also spread to the neck, arms, shoulders and back; or in the stomach area, particularly after meals. Women are more likely to experience a burning sensation or tenderness instead of squeezing pain. 

Angina is not the same as heart attack. It is associated with transient ischemia of the heart without permanent damage, while heart attack is when a patch of the heart muscle dies from lack of oxygen. But having angina significantly increases the risks for heart attacks, especially when left untreated. 

Causes: Angina is most commonly caused by the narrowing of one or more coronary arteries that supply the heart. This can result from a fixed obstruction by cholesterol plaques, or a temporary constriction due to blood vessel spasms.

Angina can also be caused by anemia, when the flow is adequate, but the blood does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen. 

There are several types of angina:

Stable angina, the most common form, is usually caused by a fixed obstruction, a plaque. 

- Stable angina is predictable, with familiar pain patterns, and typically prompted by physical exertion, when the heart requires more oxygen than it can get from narrowed vessels. 

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