Questions to Ask

If you've been diagnosed with angina, there are several key questions that you should ask your heart doctor during your next visit. These questions will ensure that you and your doctor have discussed your major risk factors so that you can become or stay as healthy as possible.

• What is the difference between chronic angina and a heart attack?
• Does having angina mean that I have blockages in the arteries that supply my heart muscle with blood?
• What medications are available to treat angina?
• What changes in my symptoms should alert me to notify my health care team?
• What are the side-effects of medications used to treat angina (particularly beta-blockers, nitrates, and calcium channel blockers)?
• I have tried many medications for angina but I still have symptoms. Is there a role for ranolazine? Other therapies?
• What risk factors are linked with angina?
• Can I continue to exercise if I have angina? How active can I be?
• What lifestyle changes can I make to reduce my symptoms?
• Should I have a stress test for angina?
• Should I have an elective cardiac catheterization to look for blockages in my arteries?
• Can a cardiac computed tomography scan help identify blockages in my arteries?