Chest discomfort that starts when you climb stairs or walk briskly and eases after a few minutes of rest is a common sign of stable angina. But does it always mean you need a stent?
- How to Recognise Stable Angina?
- How is it diagnosed?
- What does the evidence say about stents?
- What does good medical treatment include?
- When to Consider Angioplasty for Stable Angina?
- Living with angina day to day
- Questions to ask before agreeing to a stent
- Choosing where to be assessed
- Where are angioplasty and angina care available in Dubai?
How to Recognise Stable Angina?
Angina is chest discomfort caused by the heart muscle not getting enough oxygen, usually because a coronary artery is narrowed by fatty plaque. “Stable” means the pattern is predictable: it appears with a similar level of effort and settles with rest or with glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) spray.
Unstable angina is different. Pain that comes on at rest, lasts longer or is getting rapidly worse is a warning sign of a heart attack and needs emergency care. In Dubai, that means calling 998.
How is it diagnosed?
After an ECG and blood tests, many patients have a CT coronary angiogram, which shows narrowings in the arteries, or a functional test such as a stress echocardiogram, which shows whether part of the heart struggles during exercise. Invasive coronary angiography, with dye injected through a catheter, is used when the picture is unclear, or treatment is being planned.
What does the evidence say about stents?
For people with stable angina, large studies have produced a clear message. For most people with stable angina, angioplasty and stenting do not offer a clear advantage over optimal medical treatment in preventing heart attacks or extending life. What stents do well is relieve angina, particularly when medicines are not controlling it.
That does not make stents unnecessary. It means the decision depends on what you want to achieve and on the anatomy. Some patterns of disease, such as a narrowing of the left main coronary artery or extensive disease with a weakened heart, are treated differently, and bypass surgery may be considered.
What does good medical treatment include?
Stable angina is managed with medicines that ease chest discomfort and help lower the risk of future heart complications. Doctors may prescribe medicines such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, long-acting nitrates or other drugs to control symptoms. Aspirin or another antiplatelet medicine may help prevent blood clots, while statins lower cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Lifestyle carries real weight. Stopping smoking (shisha included), controlling blood pressure and diabetes, regular exercise and a diet lower in salt and processed food all slow the disease.
When to Consider Angioplasty for Stable Angina?
Doctors consider angioplasty when angina continues to limit daily life despite medical treatment, when tests show a large area of heart muscle at risk, or when a patient prefers a procedure after a frank discussion of benefits and risks. Your cardiologist will tell you which treatment applies to your condition.
Living with angina day to day
Carry your GTN spray at all times and check its expiry date. If angina comes on, stop and rest, and use the spray as your doctor has advised. A common rule is to call 998 if the pain has not eased within five minutes of a second dose, or if it feels different from your usual angina. Keep a simple diary of episodes, since a change in pattern is something your cardiologist will want to know about.
Questions to ask before agreeing to a stent
What do you expect the stent to achieve: symptom relief, lower risk, or both? What happens if I try medicines first? How long will I need antiplatelet medicines afterwards? Would bypass surgery be better for my pattern of disease?
Choosing where to be assessed
A patient comparing options for the best hospital for angioplasty in Dubai should look for a team that is as comfortable recommending medicines as it is recommending a procedure. Access to functional testing, a catheterisation lab and cardiac surgery under one roof helps make that balance possible.
Where are angioplasty and angina care available in Dubai?
Aster Hospitals, a hospital group with Dubai locations that include Muhaisnah, Al Qusais, Mankhool and Aster Cedars Hospital & Clinic in Jebel Ali, has cardiac catheterisation labs at Aster Hospital Mankhool and Aster Hospital Al Qusais. Its interventional services include coronary angiography, angioplasty with stenting, chronic total occlusion interventions and atherectomy for heavily calcified arteries, alongside stress testing and cardiac CT.
Aster Hospitals reports over 10,000 cath lab procedures performed by its cardiology teams since 2018. Patients weighing up the best heart hospital in Dubai can review these services and the cardiology department’s full range.
Stable angina can be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes. Regular check-ups help your doctor monitor your condition and decide whether you need further treatment, including a stent.
