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Angina vs Heart Attack: Symptoms, Prevention, and Blood Pressure Testing
Dr Joseph Nightingale- May 8
- 6 min read
Every five minutes, someone in the UK is admitted to hospital with a heart attack — but many of these could be prevented. Early warning signs like angina or high blood pressure often appear first.
Angina is chest pain that happens when your heart doesn’t get enough blood. It’s usually caused by narrowed coronary arteries. If an artery becomes completely blocked, it can lead to a heart attack — where part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies.
This World Hypertension Day (17th May 2025), we’re highlighting the importance of regular blood pressure checks. A simple test could help spot the danger early — and save your life.
Understanding Angina and Heart Attacks: Causes, Symptoms, and Risks
What is Angina?
Angina is a form of chest discomfort that occurs when blood flow to the heart is diminished. The heart muscle needs oxygen and nutrients to function. When blood flow is reduced, the heart has to work harder. This causes a tightness, squeezing, or pressure in the chest.
Angina is split into two categories:
Stable angina refers to chest discomfort that occurs after physical exertion, e.g., mild running, walking upstairs, or walking half a mile.
Unstable angina is chest discomfort that occurs unpredictably, often when a person is resting. It lasts longer than stable angina and isn’t always relieved with medications (like nitroglycerin).
Many patients first experience stable angina, but not all do — some may have no prior symptoms before a heart attack.
What is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, or a myocardial infarction, is the next step in the progression. It occurs suddenly when a coronary artery becomes completely blocked – or blocked enough to severely reduce blood flow – causing permanent damage to the heart muscle.
The severe lack of oxygen and nutrients begins to damage the heart tissue, leading to muscle death. The pain is much more severe, spreading to the shoulder, neck, or jaw.
Angina vs Heart Attack: Key Differences
Angina and heart attacks are both forms of coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is any type of heart disease where the build-up of fatty materials inside the artery walls (atherosclerosis) narrows the artery, affecting the blood supply.
This process begins with angina and progresses gradually towards a heart attack. High blood pressure is a major contributor to atherosclerosis. It damages artery walls, making it easier for fatty deposits to form.
Getting a blood pressure check early and treating the condition can stop the process in its tracks. It’s a simple step that could protect your heart and save your life.
Early Warning Signs of Angina and Heart Attacks to Watch For
People often don’t realise they have angina until they exert themselves. It could be walking up multiple flights of stairs or a really big hill. Suddenly, they’ll notice a pain in their chest.
The early warning signs for angina include:
Chest pain or discomfort – typically a pressure, squeezing, or tightness in the chest
Pain spreading to the arms, neck, jaw, back, or shoulders
Shortness of breath during activity or stress
Nausea or fatigue
Sweating or dizziness in some cases
Pain triggered by activity and relieved by rest
Unlike angina, heart attack symptoms often don’t go away with rest and may come on suddenly. It’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention.
The early warning symptoms for a heart attack include:
Persistent chest pain or pressure – lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes
Radiating pain in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
Shortness of breath, even at rest
Cold sweat, lightheadedness, or fainting
Nausea or vomiting
A sense of doom or anxiety
It’s also important to remember that symptoms can vary. Women, older adults, and people with diabetes are more likely to experience atypical or silent symptoms — such as unexplained fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, or back and jaw pain, without the classic chest discomfort.
These subtle signs are often overlooked, so staying alert and getting regular blood pressure checks can make all the difference.
When to Seek Emergency Medical Help
Never ignore the symptoms of coronary heart disease. If you suspect you’re having a heart attack, seek immediate medical attention.
Look for these signs:
Chest pain or pressure that lasts more than a few minutes, or comes and goes
Pain spreading to your arm(s), back, neck, jaw, or stomach
Shortness of breath, even at rest
Cold sweat, light-headedness, or fainting
Sudden nausea or vomiting with chest discomfort
A sense of anxiety or doom
Severe headache, vision changes, or confusion (could indicate dangerously high blood pressure)
Weakness or numbness on one side of the body (possible stroke)
How to Prevent Heart Attacks: Blood Pressure Checks and Lifestyle Tips
Coronary artery disease often progresses over time. If you have high blood pressure or stable angina, it does not necessarily mean a heart attack will happen. But it does increase your risk.
Taking preventative measures early can stall the progression, heal the plaques, and stabilise your heart health.
Follow these preventative steps:
Manage Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major driver of angina and heart attacks, as it accelerates artery damage and plaque formation. Lowering your blood pressure helps reduce artery damage and gives your body a chance to recover. It reduces your risk of a heart attack.
A blood pressure check is crucial to monitoring your progress. The higher the number is, the more damage is likely to occur. Here’s a quick overview of blood pressure ranges:
Normal: Less than 120/80 mmHg
Elevated: 120–129 / less than 80 mmHg
High (Stage 1 Hypertension): 130–139 / 80–89 mmHg
High (Stage 2 Hypertension): 140+ / 90+ mmHg
Hypertensive Crisis (Seek emergency care): 180+ / 120+ mmHg
The steps below will help lower your blood pressure and reduce your future risks.
Regular Physical Activity
Physical activity gets your heart pumping. If you’re overweight or obese (risk factors for high blood pressure), it can help you burn calories and lose weight.
Exercise is proven to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, slow plaque formation, and reverse risk factors like type 2 diabetes, which accelerates atherosclerosis. It even promotes the development of collateral blood vessels, helping to maintain blood flow even if some arteries narrow.
Keep To a Healthy Weight
Gaining weight puts extra pressure on your heart and other organs. It’s a major risk factor for a heart attack. Being overweight or obese increases the fats circulating in your blood and raises your blood pressure, creating the perfect conditions for plaque development.
Cutting down calories can also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, or even reverse it entirely. High blood sugars in diabetes can accelerate plaque development, further increasing the risk of angina and a heart attack.
Eat A Healthy, Balanced Diet
It’s not just about cutting out the bad stuff — it’s about choosing foods that actively support your heart and blood pressure. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and healthy fats can help repair blood vessel damage, reduce inflammation, and prevent weight gain.
Try to follow a Mediterranean-style diet: think fresh produce, olive oil, nuts, fish, and less red or processed meat. You can still enjoy treats — just keep them occasional, not routine.
Cut Down on Salt
Salt can temporarily spike your blood pressure. It causes your body to retain more water. This increase in blood volume puts extra pressure on the artery walls – similar to turning up the pressure in a garden hose. If you repeatedly eat high salt foods, these spikes add up, increasing damage to the artery lining and plaque build-up.
Drink In Moderation
Too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and lead to weight gain. Stick to no more than 14 units a week, spread over several days, with at least two alcohol-free days. Keeping it moderate helps protect your heart.
Take Your Medicines as Prescribed
Alongside a regular blood pressure test, you’ll need to take any medication as prescribed. Common blood pressure medications (antihypertensives) include:
ACE inhibitors
Calcium channel blockers
Diuretics
Beta blockers
ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers)
Usually, you take these medications every day and monitor their effectiveness with a blood pressure check.
Where Can I Get My Blood Pressure Checked?
Health Klinix offers routine blood pressure checks for patients of all ages. You can receive personalised medical advice and an accurate assessment of your blood pressure. While home monitors can be helpful, they aren’t always accurate. A professional test ensures a reliable reading and personalised advice.
Our trained professionals will determine if your blood pressure measurement is within the normal range. You’ll also receive recommendations on how to stay healthy – tailored just for you.
Don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Book a blood pressure check now — or explore our Health Membership for a more complete picture. It includes a blood pressure check, full lipid screening (including cholesterol), and your 10-year cardiovascular risk score.
Act early. Live well.
References
British Heart Foundation. (2024). Angina. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/angina
NHS. (2023). Heart attack. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-attack/
Public Health England. (2017). Health matters: combating high blood pressure
NICE. (2020). Chronic coronary syndromes: Diagnosis and management. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng238
Knuuti, J., Wijns, W., Saraste, A., Capodanno, D., Barbato, E., Funck-Brentano, C., ... & Bax, J. J. (2020). 2019 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic coronary syndromes. European Heart Journal, 41(3), 407–477. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz425
Virani, S. S., Newby, L. K., Arnold, S. V., Bittner, V., Brewer, L. C., Demeter, S. H., ... & Yancy, C. W. (2023). 2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the management of patients with chronic coronary disease. Circulation, 148(9), e9–e119. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001168
Written by:
Dr Joseph Nightingale, MBBS, MSc
Approved by:
Dr Ravi Gowda, Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine
MBBS, MRCP(UK), DTM&H, MRCGP, DCH, DRCOG, DFFP
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