Chest pain, or angina, occurs when blockages in the coronary arteries prevent the heart from getting enough blood and oxygen, a condition known as ischemia. The pain may be dull and heavy, but it may also be choking or squeezing and spread to the throat, neck, jaw, teeth and left arm. Sweating, nausea, dizziness or breathing difficulties may result.

Angina and heart attack have the same root cause: atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of the coronary arteries caused by deposits of fatty substances (cholesterol). The key differences between angina and a heart attack are crucial to your health. Angina can be divided into two types: stable angina and unstable angina. Stable angina describes the chest pain which is caused by a fixed blockage of blood flow in one or more of the coronary arteries. The pain caused by this blockage is predictable, occurring during physical exertion.

Unstable angina describes a chest pain of increasing severity which is unpredictable and occurs at rest. It may imply that the underlying situation is worsening and often signals a developing heart attack. A heart attack occurs when a blockage in a coronary artery completely stops part of the heart. Angina usually does not damage the heart muscle, yet a heart attack will cause permanent damage.

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP®) Treatment is a noninvasive, nonpharmacolgic treatment that has been shown to improve angina in people with severe coronary disease without the need for an invasive procedure. By rhythmically compressing a patient’s lower limbs, blood flow is increased toward the heart precisely during periods of coronary artery blood flow. This technique is valuable for patients with chest pain who have not had a fully successful bypass or other intervention, or who wish to choose a noninvasive method to relieve their angina.

Patients with angina pectoris undergoing Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) in clinical trials were observed to have reduced frequency and intensity of chest pain, increased exercise tolerance and reduced need for antianginal medications.