Caused by a lack of oxygen to the heart leading to damage and death of the affected heart muscle. See “Arterial Disease” below.

Angina is caused by an insufficient supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. This results in a squeezing or pressure like pain in the chest immediately after exertion.

This is caused by one of several problems. Firstly by a thickening of the blood which tends to hold together in clots; secondly by the formation of deposits on the walls of the arteries and lastly by a hardening of the arteries. All these reflect a lack of important vitamins, minerals and nutrients which are a key to healthy blood and needed to make collagen, the intercellular “glue” that keeps skin and arteries supple, thereby helping contraction and relaxation of arteries and heart fibres every time the heart beats.

Over a number of years fatty deposits can start to form in the arterial wall. This is known as plaque or atheroma. Arterial deposits in conjunction with thicker blood, containing clots, can lead to blockage which decreases or stops blood flow. If this occurs in the arteries feeding the heart (i.e. coronary arteries), the part being fed by these blood vessels will die from lack of oxygen. This is called a heart attack. Before this occurs many people are diagnosed as having angina.