The main objectives of the treatment of patients with angina - alleviating the symptoms and symptom relief and prevention of new attacks and the development of more dangerous disorders such as myocardial infarction. What medications for angina are recommended for use?
Angina can be used a variety of drugs. How to treat angina and how?
Nitroglycerine
Nitroglycerin - a representative of a group of vasodilator medications that are most commonly used for the relief of angina attacks. Pain in the heart with the violation caused by the fact that the heart muscle not getting enough blood and oxygen; as nitroglycerine and expands blood vessels, including the coronary arteries, it may rapidly alleviate the pain. However, nitroglycerin for angina can be used not only during attacks, but also to loads that normally provoke attacks. Patients with stable angina
Stable angina - one of the manifestations of coronary heart disease
stresses that helps avoid attacks, and to continue to lead a full, active life.
Nitroglycerin for relief of angina attacks should be sitting or lying down; the drug can dramatically lower blood pressure, and if you take it standing up, there is great risk of fainting. If you notice any symptoms begin to attack, driving, stop to take the medication.
Tablets from angina pectoris with nitroglycerin should be put under the tongue and wait until they dissolve. If you accidentally swallow a tablet, take another one, otherwise by nitroglycerin is not good. If necessary, it can take up to three doses of nitroglycerin, at intervals of five minutes. If five minutes after the last dose of the pain does not pass, and if it increases, call an ambulance.
Nitroglycerin is often causes side effects such as hot flashes, headache, nausea, dizziness, burning under the tongue; these symptoms usually disappear very quickly.
People who are taking nitroglycerin should not take drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil and vardenafil. The combination of any of these drugs with nitroglycerin may result in a dramatic and potentially life-threatening drop in blood pressure.
Patients who have previously had angina, nitroglycerine need to keep to yourself. If nitroglitseinom tablets are packaged in plastic or glass jar, do not open it until you do not need to take the medicine. This drug is quickly deteriorates: it can be stored for three to six months and then buy a new package of nitroglycerin. The shelf life of liquid nitroglycerin longer - it retains its medicinal properties to two years.
In addition to nitroglycerin, a doctor may prescribe other nitrates for angina, such as isosorbide dinitrate and isosorbide mononitrate, intended to alleviate the symptoms of the disease and to prevent attacks in the long term. They used not only tablets, but also patches that provide a constant intake of small doses of nitrates. However, the patches have a significant drawback - if the level of nitrates in the plasma is kept at the same level, can develop addictive, and they will be almost useless for the patient. Whatever it was, the doctor selects the optimal dose of nitrate for the patient and the most appropriate way of their application, based on the diagnosis, the person's lifestyle, and other factors.
Aspirin
Aspirin reduces blood clotting, reducing the ability of platelets to stick together: this is their property is useful, for example, in the preparation of various injuries, but sometimes it leads to the formation of blood clots. Antithrombotic drugs for angina pectoris (usually - aspirin, sometimes in combination with other drugs) are assigned in order to reduce the likelihood of thrombus formation and development of a heart attack in the future. Aspirin is used in stable and unstable angina, it is also prescribed to patients with coronary artery disease and those who underwent coronary bypass surgery or angioplasty. It is proved that it can significantly alleviate the symptoms of unstable angina, as well as reduce the likelihood of heart attack and death due to heart attack.
Most patients tolerate aspirin well, without any side effects. In some cases it can cause stomach pain and nausea, are usually tested after reducing the dose of aspirin or closure of its reception. Because aspirin thins the blood, sometimes taking his men observed side effects, such as nosebleeds, who can not stop yourself, bleeding gums while brushing teeth and bruising, even with minor injuries. If such signs as soon as possible to see a doctor. Call an ambulance if after taking aspirin you will have symptoms such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue or neck, coughing up blood, blood in vomit and / or stool.
Clopidogrel
Clopidogrel - is another antithrombotic drug, which is taken as aspirin instead of, or in conjunction with it. It can be an alternative to aspirin for patients with allergies to aspirin. Clopidogrel, taken with aspirin significantly increases the effectiveness of therapy - it was confirmed in several scientific studies.
The most common side effects of clopidogrel is an increased risk of severe bleeding. Even with minor cuts bleeding may be stronger than usual, while serious injuries impact of clopidogrel on platelets can lead to a large and rapid blood loss. However, when choosing a method of treatment of angina
Treatment of angina - a versatile approach
doctors weighed all the arguments, and if prescribed antithrombotic drugs, it is only because of their use in a particular case outweighs the potential risks.
Beta Blockers
Beta-blockers are used most often in unstable angina
Unstable angina - alarm organism
.
During an attack of this disorder increases heart rate, blood pressure increases, and the heart requires more blood and oxygen. Beta-blockers reduce the heart rate and thereby reduce the burden on the heart. They can give a patient in the hospital after being hospitalized with complaints of chest pain. These drugs for angina pectoris (usually in the form of tablets) may also designate after hospital discharge; experience a huge number of patients shows that they significantly reduce the risk of recurrent attacks of angina and improve the quality of life.
Patients with diabetes while taking beta-blockers should be regularly checked blood sugar
Blood sugar - one of the main indicators of human health
Since this type of drugs can lead to improvement.
Beta-blockers can make a person more sensitive to low temperatures, so the cold weather, he may have to wear warmer than usual. They also increase the probability of getting a sunburn, and all the people who take beta-blockers, doctors recommend using a sunscreen with a high protection factor.
- While receiving beta-blockers should not drink grapefruit juice - it may reduce the efficacy of this type.
- People with allergies to any application of these drugs can cause stronger than usual allergic reactions.
In addition, beta-blockers may cause side effects such as lethargy and weakness, mild dizziness, sleep disturbances. In rare cases, their side effects may be shortness of breath, swelling of the face and throat, severe dizziness or fainting, slow heart rate (less than 50 beats per minute). If you experience these symptoms, contact emergency medical care.
Calcium channel blockers
These drugs may be used for angina pectoris in cases when nitrates are not effective enough or they are contraindicated in patients. Calcium channel blockers are especially effective if, in addition angina patient revealed hypertension and / or coronary artery spasm. They slow the heart rate, reduce the workload on the heart muscle, relax the artery walls, thereby expanding the blood vessels and lower blood pressure. When angina most commonly used are the representatives of this class of drugs as diltiazem, felodipine, nifedipine, verapamil.
The most common side effects of calcium channel blockers - headaches and nausea. However, they may be other, more serious side effects, due to which doctors prescribe these drugs with caution.
