Aspirins - Are angina attacks a month after a mild heart attack a common occurence for a male in his mid 40s?

Are angina attacks a month after a mild heart attack a common occurence for a male in his mid 40s?

I know a guy who is 44 and had a heart attack (mild one) about a month ago. He was feeling great the first four weeks, but suddenly started having minor bouts of angina the last week or so. Nothing debilitating, just tweaks of heartburn and light-headedness, but would go away with a blast of nitro spay. Is this common? Should it be a major concern, or is it part of the healing process?

Public Comments

Angina is an indication that an ischemia occurs. Ischemia is a state wherein the heart does not get enough oxygen. I would say that this is not normal and is not part of the healing process. The nitro spray (nitrates) help relieve the pain because it produces an effect that increases blood flow and gives increased oxygen to the heart. Your friend better get to a doctor especially if the angina lasts more than 15 minutes - an indication that myocardial infarction has occured.
There is no "normal healing process". Angina is simply the sign of deteriorating cardiac function, and will steadily get worse usually, -until another heart attack. A lot depends on how well the doctors can control it. If it's "unstable angina" or can't be controlled with nitro, then the probability is he will have another attack soon, and it depends where and when it occurs whether he'll survive it. If it's near an ER he'll have a good chance of survival. If it's in a field, miles from home, he won't. Better by far to grab the bull by the horns and have surgery Either angioplasty, or by-pass graft.