MEDYMOLOGY
ARBOR VITAE FOR HEALTH SCIENCES
Angina
Etymology:
L. angina: “quinsy; strangling, choking”, from L. angere: “to press together, to choke, to strangle, to hurt (cause pain)”
Definition:
Angina, also known as angina pectoris, is chest pain or pressure, usually caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium). It is most commonly a symptom of coronary artery disease. Angina is typically the result of partial obstruction or spasm of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. The main mechanism of coronary artery obstruction is atherosclerosis as part of coronary artery disease. Other causes of angina include abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure and, less commonly, anemia. The term derives from the Latin angere ("to strangle") and pectus ("chest"), and can therefore be translated as "a strangling feeling in the chest".