Q. What is the difference between angina and myocardial infarction in humans?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Angina and myocardial infarction (MI) are both types of cardiovascular conditions that affect the heart muscles. Both can cause chest pain, though the causes and treatments for each are quite different.
Angina is caused by the narrowing or blockage in a coronary artery. This blockage prevents oxygen from adequately reaching the heart muscles, resulting in chest pain and anginal episodes (chest discomfort). The treatment for angina involves lifestyle changes such as changing diet, increasing exercise, quitting smoking and reducing stress levels. Additionally, medications like nitrates can be prescribed to widen blood vessels and allow more oxygen to get to your heart muscle. Anginal episodes will often pass if you rest or take medicines properly prescribed by your doctor. If left untreated however, it can eventually lead to MIs.
On the other hand, a Myocardial Infarction (MI) is essentially a “heart attack” where an artery becomes entirely blocked preventing any oxygen from getting through at all leading to permanent death of some part of the heart muscle tissue due to lack of blood supply called an "infarct". Its severity depends on how much area has become affected due its complete cessation of blood supply;the longer this state continues without being terminated with medical intervention ,the larger area dies off leading up even severe consequences like stroke/ pulmonary embolism etc .Treatment will depend on how far advanced it was when first discovered – sometimes surgery may be necessary if it was found too late but otherwise medication along with lifestyle changes discussed before have been recommended as mainstay options available for treatment here as well typically !