This week Marion Kerrlooks at calcium channel blockers
I have been diagnosed with angina and given tablets to treat it. Can you tell me what causes this type of pain?
Angina is a characteristic chest pain that occurs when insufficient oxygen reaches the heart muscle.
It is most commonly caused by a narrowing of the blood vessels - the coronary arteries - which transport blood and oxygen to the muscles of the heart itself.
Classic angina tends to produce pain during physical exercise, exertion or emotional distress.
This is usually caused by the atheroma - a build-up of deposits on the walls of the arteries that causes them to narrow.
Other sufferers may experience angina at rest as a result of a spasm of the muscles fibres in the artery walls which reduces the amount of blood and oxygen getting through to the heart tissues.
There are a number of drugs used to treat angina including beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, potassium channel blockers and nitrates. These drugs are used to relieve angina attacks and reduce their frequency.
A rapid acting nitrate called glyceryl trinitrate is usually prescribed to be taken at the first sign of angina pain or taken before an activity known to bring on an attack.
Do you know which type you have been prescribed?
I am on calcium blockers. Can you tell me how these work?
Calcium passes through special channels into the cells of muscles as part of the mechanism of contraction. Calcium channel blockers work by preventing this movement of calcium in the muscles of the blood vessels, encouraging the blood vessel to widen or dilate.
This action helps reduce blood pressure and relieves the pressure on the heart muscle in the case of angina.
This makes it easier for the heart to pump blood throughout the entire body.
I don't like taking tablets, particularly if they can cause side effects.
Are there side effects associated with this type of drug?
Although medications used to treat angina do not usually produce any serious adverse effects, they can cause a range of minor side effects.
Calcium channel blockers can cause dizziness or fainting, especially on standing.
They may also cause flushing of the face and skin, ankle swelling and headaches especially when you first start treatment.