unstable angina

un·sta·ble angina (n-stbl)

n.

Angina pectoris characterized by pain of coronary origin that occurs in response to less exercise or other stimuli than usually required to produce pain.

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unstable angina

Etymology: AS, un, not, stabilis, firm, angina, quinsy

thoracic pain that may mark the onset of acute myocardial infarction. It typically occurs at rest and has a sudden onset, sudden worsening, and stuttering recurrence over days and weeks. It carries a more severe short-term prognosis than stable chronic angina.

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unstable,

adj 1. not firm or fixed in one place; likely to move.
2. capable of undergoing spontaneous change. A nuclide in an unstable state is called
radioactive. An atom in an unstable state is called
excited.

unstable angina

n a form of pain that is prodromal to acute myocardial infarction. It typically has a sudden onset, sudden worsening, and stuttering recurrence over days and weeks. It carries a more severe short-term prognosis than stable chronic angina. Nearly one third of unstable angina patients experience myocardial infarction within 3 months of the first episode.

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unstable angina

Accelerating angina, new-onset angina, progressive angina Cardiology A spectrum of Sx of ischemic heart disease, intermediate in severity between stable angina pectoris–intense chest pain and acute MI–crushing chest pain; UA is a subacute < 6 months in duration–state with ↑ risk of MI and sudden death Risk factors ♂, cigarette smoking, ↑ cholesterol–in particular, ↑ LDL-C and/or ↓ HDL-C, HTN, DM, family Hx of CAD < age 55, sedentary lifestyle, > 30% ideal body weight, sudden overwhelming stress Clinical Chest pain at rest, or ↑ in severity, frequency, or duration of chest pain at lower levels of activity DiffDx MI, DM, HTN, myxedema, peripheral vascular disease, heart valve disease, cardiomyopathy, ASHD Management Antianginals–eg, nitrates, beta-blockers, CCBs, aspirin, IV heparin. See Angina pectoris, ATACS, FRISC, HASI, Myocardial infarction, RISC, Silent ischemia, TAUSA, TIMI-3A, TIMI-3B, TIMI-7, UNASEM. Cf Prinzmetal's angina.