Unstable Angina

Unstable angina is one of the types of "Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)," a series of conditions most commonly produced by the rupture of a plaque in a coronary artery. All types of ACS, including unstable angina, should be considered medical emergencies.

Unstable angina is "unstable" not only because a plaque has ruptured (a situation which always threatens to progress to a myocardial infarction), but also because the symptoms it produces - the angina - generally occurs much more frequently, often at rest, lasts much longer, and begins responding poorly to nitroglycerin.

Read more about unstable angina - how to recognize it and how it is treated - here.