Patient was educated regarding unstable angina as follows:
- Unstable angina is a form of angina precipitated even during rest, comes on in bouts with increasing intensity, and so, is difficult to manage.
- Chest pain is brought on by conditions such as, any emboli or blood clots in the circulation causing sudden and severe blocking of the coronary arteries.
- This blockage of coronary arteries can compromise the blood supply to the heart and lead to the disproportion between the demand and oxygen supply to cardiac muscle and consequent chest pain.
- The severity of chest pain is dependent on the extent to which the coronary arteries are blocked and can progress in intensity with the unrelieved block.
- Since this form of angina can also occur at rest, stopping all activity and taking rest can poorly contribute to relief, but can help further deterioration of chest pain.
- Unstable angina carries more risk to progress to a full-blown heart attack or myocardial infarction and is a medical emergency.
