What is angina?

Angina refers to chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t receive enough blood and oxygen. It is often described as a sensation of pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center or left side of the chest. This discomfort can also spread to the shoulders, neck, arms, back, teeth, or jaw. The primary reason angina occurs is due to reduced blood flow often caused by coronary artery disease, where the arteries become narrowed or blocked.

In terms of the context of the other options, pressure in arteries relates more closely to conditions that affect blood vessels but doesn't specifically address the sensation associated with angina. A type of hypertension refers to high blood pressure, which is a different cardiovascular issue, and hardening of arteries (atherosclerosis) refers to the buildup of plaque that can lead to angina but is not itself the definition of angina. Therefore, describing angina simply as chest pain is accurate and distinguishes it from these other cardiovascular terms.