Differences Between Angina and Heartburn

Heartburn and angina are two very different medical conditions. Angina is a form of heart disease, while heartburn is a digestive problem. Both can cause pain and discomfort, but heartburn is rarely serious, while angina is often a sign of coronary artery disease. People can experience both angina and heartburn, but the two conditions are unrelated and need to be treated separately.

Symptoms

• Signs and symptoms of angina and heartburn can be somewhat similar because both can cause pain, but the pain is often felt differently. People with heartburn often experience a burning pain in the middle of the chest. Heartburn pain is often worse at night or when people are lying down. With angina, the pain is typically described as a squeezing or crushing chest pain, or as though pressure is on the chest. Angina pain is felt in the chest, but also in the shoulder, jaw, shoulders, neck and back. Other angina symptoms include nausea, sweating, dizziness, fatigue and shortness of breath.

Cause

• Heartburn is the result of stomach contents and acids being pushed back up into the esophagus because the lower esophageal sphincter is not closing properly. When the stomach contents enter the esophagus, it can cause irritation and inflammation. Angina develops when blood flow to the heart is inadequate, usually because of coronary artery disease. When the heart does not get enough blood, angina symptoms can develop. This is why angina is often experienced when people are exercising or exerting themselves—the increase in physical activity increases the demand for oxygen-rich blood in the heart.

Risk Factors

• Anyone can develop heartburn, and it often develops when people eat foods that are known to trigger the condition, including fatty and fried foods, carbonated beverages, vinegar, tomato sauce and orange juice. Angina, on the other hand, is more common in people with certain medical conditions, including diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Angina is also more common in people who use tobacco and in people who are obese or have a family history of heart disease.

Treatment

• The methods for treating heartburn and angina are quite different due to the severity of the conditions. Most cases of heartburn can easily be treated with over-the-counter antacids and acid-reducing medicines. Angina, though, requires a more complete approach to treatment. To start, doctors will often ask angina patients to adopt a healthier lifestyle by eating better, getting more exercise and losing weight. Medical treatment options include a variety of medications to alleviate the pain caused by angina and improve blood flow as well as procedures to open up constricted arteries. Commonly performed procedures include angioplasty, coronary artery bypass grafting and stents.