The classic angina attack involves ischemia, or reduced blood flow to the heart. For whatever reason, the coronary arteries cannot supply sufficient blood to the heart, and therefore deprive its muscle tissue of oxygen.

In such a condition the following treatment may be undertaken:

• Reduction of oxygen need.

• Increase of blood supply through the coronaries which is obtained changing blood characteristics.

There are currently some extremely effective pharmaceutical drugs available. Nitroglycerin is the most useful and is a powerful vasodilator, meaning that it widens blood vessels and increases overall coronary flow. It may be used in various forms and have a slow-acting or immediate effect.  Other vasodilators are also available.

Beta-blockers lower the heart muscle’s oxygen need, avoiding cell lesions and the onset of fibrous plaque.

Platelet antiaggregants (acetyl salicylic acid, or aspirin) avoid clustering of platelets and allow better blood flow inside the coronaries. This drug lessens recurrent attacks when coronary conditions have been properly examined with stress tests and coronary imaging tests.