"Almost 7 million Americans are dealing with angina. When their angina attacks, they suddenly feel like a 10-ton weight has been dropped on their chest, with sharp stabbing pains radiating inside. This pain and pressure is the result of an imbalance between the supply of and demand for oxygen within the heart muscles. It may be caused by coronary artery spasms and/or obstructions in the main blood vessels.If you experience this kind of chest pain, get to the doctor IMMEDIATELY. To diagnose angina, your doctor will consider risk factors such as age - the typical age of onset is 62-- weight, physical activity, and smoking and drinking patterns. When talking to your doctor, you'll want to be detailed about your symptoms. Make sure to mention any pain that shoots into the back, neck and arms; breathlessness; weakness; nausea; indigestion; and sweating.If the doctor suspects that angina IS the cause of your discomfort, an electrocardiogram, also known as an EKG, will be administered. This detects changes in heart muscle due to lack of oxygen. If the EKG comes out "normal," an exercise stress test will then be given. Or, additionally, diagnosis can be done with a stress ECHOcardiograph that combines the exercise test and ultrasound imaging, a cardiac catheterization that takes X-rays of the coronary arteries, or a CT coronary angiogram that uses an intravenous dye and CT scanning to inspect the coronary arteries for blockages or weakness.If ANY of these tests confirm you have angina, the treatment may include rest, and medications such as nitroglycerin, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Sometimes angioplasty or a coronary artery bypass surgery is required. In general, the main goals of angina treatment are to relieve symptoms, slow progression of the coronary artery disease that's causing your pain, and to help you AVOID a heart attack. "