Taking heart health seriously is important for everybody, and even more so as we age. One common term to know is the word "angina," which is important to understand for anyone looking out for the health of their heart.

1. Angina is Chest Pain From the Heart

The word "angina" stems from Latin roots, and can be literally translated as "crying of the muscle." The heart is a muscle that works round-the-clock, and it needs to be bathed in oxygen-rich blood all the time. Insufficient oxygen can cause the heart to ache, otherwise known as angina.

2. Angina Results From a Lack of Blood Flow

When a muscle works, it requires adequate blood flow for the delivery of oxygen and nutrients. But when there is an obstruction in the flow of blood to a working muscle, that muscle begins to ache. Physicians specifically use the word "angina" to describe chest pain from a blood obstruction to the heart. In medical terms, this referred to as "myocardial ischemia."

3. Angina Can be Sudden or Chronic

Depending on the vessel obstruction to the heart, angina can happen suddenly, or slowly. Sudden angina attack is also called unstable angina versus stable angina. 

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