Advice needed please. Recently diagnosed with Atherosclerosis,given Statins, 75mg Asprin and Clyceryl Trinitrate spry.

[Lulu1955]

Hi all. Recently diagnosed with Atherosclerosis, given Statins, 75mg Asprin and Clyceryl Trinitrate spray. Told by my GP if pain persists after using spray to call 999. I am having pain more or less constantly even getting woken up with it but it does go away when I use the spray. What advice would you give me as what to do next? I am new to this so would really appreciate peoples views. Thanks.

[Hidden]

My advice is very simple. If you have been prescribed medication and it is not working as it should, or you are experiencing side effects, or have any general concerns, go talk to your GP, who has access to all your medical records and is qualified to address any problems. However if you feel the pain you experience has increased significantly in a short space of time and the spray doesn't work, do what you have been advised to do, call 999.

[gilreid1]

Exactly as lowerfield says. If you are in such pain after using your spray dial 999 or have a family member take you to A&E. good luck

[Chappychap]

When I was first diagnosed with atherosclerosis and angina I was told that angina comes in two versions, stable angina and unstable angina.

Stable angina is when it's pretty clear what triggers the attack, ie lifting heavy objects, walking up inclines, etc. And when you stop doing that activity the pain slowly ebbs away, if you take GTN spray the pain will go away faster, and if you take the spray before doing the same activity sometimes you'll avoid the pain in the first place.

All this is stable angina, and although uncomfortable and limiting it's not an urgent problem. Consequently you'll find many people with stable angina are in long queues for treatment that can take many months. The reason being that atherosclerosis and angina don't automatically mean imminent heart attacks. Many people on this forum, myself included, had high levels of arterial blockage but never had a heart attack.

The other version of angina is the unstable type. This requires looking at more urgently. From a patient's perspective it means angina attacks when at rest or without an obvious trigger, or when rest and multiple applications of GTN spray don't relive the angina pain.

If you suspect unstable angina you should seek qualified medical attention when you experience an attack.

[Lulu1955]

Thanks to you all. I suspect it is unstable angina as the symptoms are more or less exactly what my mother had. However, she got sporadic attacks of it. I am having it most of the day and night with no difference if I am walking, or sitting etc. my daughter is a nurse and she says the same as you guys, if it’s really bad call 999. Problem is that currently there is a 51 minute response time to an 999 call in our local area!! That info came from the Head of resus in our area. Thanks once again. Your responses are helpful.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lulu1955]

There is another cause of angina causing chest pain at rest, especially at night between midnight and 6am, Vasospastic angina.

I live with vasospastic angina. I don't have blocked coronary arteries, however I am at risk of a heart attack, as my coronary arteries go into transient contrictions causing a lack of blood supply to my heart muscle.

I have been admitted 15 times in the last 10 years with unstable coronary vasospasms. So far I have always made it to hospital in good time.

Vasospastic angina along with microvascular angina are types of non obstructive coronary artery disease. Women are more likely to live with these types of angina, which are often overlooked and undiagnosed.

The only way to know whether your chest pain is not causing you harm is to go to hospital to be checked. An ECG and bloods need to done.

I agree with the others that if you have chest pain in particular at rest which is not relieved by 3 sprays of GTN spray, 5 minutes apart, you need to call 999.

[Lulu1955 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you very much for that. It’s very interesting and something I knew nothing about.