Questions to ask your Doctor

If you've been diagnosed with angina, there are several key questions that you should ask your cardiologist during your next visit. These questions will ensure that you and your doctor have discussed your major risk factors so that you can become or stay as healthy as possible.

• What distinguishes chronic angina from a heart attack?
• Does having angina mean that I have blockages in the arteries that supply my heart with blood?
• What medications are available to treat angina?
• What changes in my symptoms should alert me to notify my physician?
• What are the side-effects of medications used to treat angina (particularly beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers)?
• I have tried many medications for angina but I continue to have symptoms. Is there a role for ranolizine? Other therapies?
• What risk factors are associated with angina?
• Can I continue to exercise if I have angina?
• What lifestyle changes can I make to reduce my symptoms?
• Should I have a stress test for angina?
• Should I undergo an elective cardiac catheterization to look for blockages in my arteries?