Angina

Although conventional medications for angina may help to relieve the intense chest pain of this heart disorder, they do very little to halt the physiological mechanisms behind it. Vitamins, minerals and natural remedies may improve the condition - or at least keep it from worsening.

What it is  When your heart isn't getting enough blood and oxygen, the crushing, squeezing pain of angina is typically the result. Usually the pain begins below the breastbone and radiates to the shoulder, arm or jaw, increasing in intensity until it reaches a plateau and then diminishes. Attacks can last up to 15 minutes.

What causes it  Angina is a direct result of a buildup of plaque (atherosclerosis) in the arteries that supply the heart with blood. Like any other muscle in the body, the heart needs blood and oxygen to do its work of pumping blood throughout the circulatory system.
With atherosclerosis, the arteries may be wide enough to provide sufficient blood flow during rest, but they can't supply enough oxygen-rich blood when physical activity increases the demand on the heart. Any exertion - climbing stairs, running for the bus, even having sex - can trigger some angina attacks. Other cases of angina occur when a small blood clot forms on the surface of a blood vessel's plaque and temporarily blocks a coronary artery: this is a heart attack. Angina may also result if a coronary artery goes into spasm.

SYMPTOMS

• Crushing or squeezing chest pain.
• Weakness.
• Sweating.
• Shortness of breath.
• Palpitations.
• Nausea.
• Light-headedness.

WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

• If you have any of the above symptoms for the first time.
• If there is any change in the normal pattern of your angina attacks - for example, if they increase in frequency, intensity or duration, or if they are brought on by new activities.
• If an angina attack is severe, you are having a heart attack - call an ambulance immediately.
• Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

Supplement recommendations
SUPPLEMENT	DOSAGE	COMMENTS
Vitamin C	1000 mg 3 times a day.	Reduce dose if diarrhoea develops.
Vitamin E	500 IU twice a day with food.	Check with your doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs.
Magnesium	200 mg twice a day.	Be careful taking magnesium if you have kidney disease.
Arginine	500 mg L-arginine 3 times a day on an empth stomach.	If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.
Carnitine	500 mg L-arginine 3 times a day on an empth stomach.	If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.
Taurine	500 mg L-arginine 3 times a day on an empth stomach.	If using longer than 1 month, add mixed amino acids.
Coenzyme Q10	20-30 mg 3 times a day with food.	Capsules may be more effective than tablets.
Hawthorn	100-150 mg 3 times a day.	Standardised to contain at least 1-3% flaconoids.
Essential fatty acids	1 tbsp flaxseed oil a day; 2000 mg fish oils 3 times a day.	Take fish oils if you don't eat fish at least 3 times a week.

How supplements can help  The supplements listed in the chart can all be used together or alone. They can also complement your prescription angina medications - but never stop your heart medication without first consulting your doctor.

The antioxidant effect of vitamins C and E can help prevent call damage: vitamin C aids in the repair of the arteries injured by plaque, and vitamin E blocks the oxidation of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, the initial step in the formation of plaque. In addition, some people with heart disease have low levels of vitamin E as well as the mineral magnesium, which may inhibit spasms of the coronary arteries.

The amino acid arginine plays a role in forming nitric oxide, which relaxes artery walls. One study found that taking it three times a day allowed people with angina to exercise at moderate intensity for longer without chest pain. Carnitine, an amino-acid-like substance, allows heart muscle cells to use energy more efficiently, and the amino acid taurine may regulate heart rhythm abnormalities.

Like carnitine, the nutritional supplement coenzyme Q10 benefits the heart muscle, reducing its workload, and the herb hawthorn improves blood flow to the heart. Essential fatty acids may be effective in lowering cholesterol levels and keeping arteries flexible.

What else you can do

• Eat a low-fat, high-fibre diet; use extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil instead of butter.
• Don't smoke, and avoid smoky places.
• Learn to relax. Such techniques as meditation, t'ai chi and yoga may reduce the frequency and intensity of angina attacks.
• Join a support group. Determine what brought you to this point in your life and what you can do to begin reversing the disease.

Source - The Healing Power of Vitamins Minerals and Herbs (Readers Digest)