Patient was educated regarding variant angina as follows:
- Variant angina is a form of angina precipitated even during rest, can come on in bouts with increasing intensity, and so, is difficult to manage.
- Chest pain is brought on by sudden, severe, and temporary spasm of the coronary arteries, which results in the arteries closing down and compromising blood supply to the heart.
- This leads 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 and duration, to which the coronary arteries are shut off 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.
- Knowing the risk factors causing coronary artery spasms, such as, smoking and cold temperatures, and adopting measures such as, smoking cessation and avoiding cold climates, can help prevent further occurrences of this chest pain.
- Variant angina is a medical emergency and carries more risk to progress to a full-blown heart attack or myocardial infarction.
