Chest pain or angina, a major cardiovascular disease, is caused due to blockage in arteries of the heart. Treatment includes medications/drug administration as well as lifestyle and dietary changes, angioplasty, and Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP) therapy. Drug-based medications for angina are used in serious and emergency cases.

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Most common drug-based medications in case of angina are:

  • Aspirin: Aspirin helps angina patients by reducing the ability of blood to clot. It makes the blood flow easier in narrowed arteries and reduces the risk of heart attack.
  • Nitrates: Nitrates, one of the most common treatments, involves relaxation and widening of blood arteries to help better blood flow to the heart muscles. Most common and economic drug under this variety is nitroglycerin tablets.
  • Beta blockers: Beta blockers help block the secretion of epinephrine hormone and lowering heart beat rate, reduction of blood pressure and heart workload. They also relax blood vessels and improve blood flow, leading to reduced risk of angina.
  • Statins: Statins lowers cholesterol level in blood, increased reabsorption of cholesterol and reduced formation of plaques in artery walls.
  • Calcium channel blockers: Also known as calcium antagonists, they help widen blood vessels, and increase blood flow in the heart. This process also lowers rate of pulse and reduce the load of work for the heart.
  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: They help relax blood vessels and prevent the production of angiotensin II, which affects cardiovascular system through narrowing blood vessels.

Thus, there are the drug-based treatment/medication for people suffering from angina and are economical and effective in nature.