The intensity of the pain does not always relate to the severity of the medical problem. Some people may feel a crushing pain from mild ischemia, while others might experience only mild discomfort from severe ischemia. Some people have also reported a higher sensitivity to heat on the skin with the onset of angina. Although atherosclerosis is far and away the leading cause of angina, other conditions can impair the delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle and cause pain. Many conditions may cause chest pains unrelated to heart or blood vessel abnormalities.
Stable angina responds well to medical treatment.
Any event that increases oxygen demand can cause angina, including exercise, cold weather, emotional tension, and even large meals. Unstable angina is a much more serious situation and is often an intermediate stage between stable angina and a heart attack. Medications are less effective in relieving pain of unstable angina. A third type of angina, called variant or Prinzmetal's angina, is caused by a spasm of a coronary artery. It almost always occurs when the patient is at rest.