
Angina and heart attacks can often present with similar symptoms, but they differ significantly in their causes and implications. Understanding these differences is crucial for timely and appropriate medical intervention.
What is angina?
Angina is a condition that causes chest pain or discomfort and when the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-rich blood. This can happen because of narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, which can restrict blood flow to the heart. At rest, there is sufficient blood flow to the heart through these narrowed arteries, however, when the demand on the heart increases, there is insufficient supply due to the diseased coronary arteries.
Angina is often triggered by physical exertion, stress, or strong emotions, and typically lasts for a few minutes before subsiding with rest or medication. While angina itself is not a heart attack, it can be a warning sign of an increased risk of one.
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack occurs when the narrowing of the artery becomes completely blocked, causing the heart muscle beyond the blockage to become oxygen starved. This can result in permanent damage to the heart muscle if not treated promptly.
Each year, around 54,000 Australians suffer a heart attack – that’s one every 10 minutes.1
What are the similarities between angina and a heart attack?
What are the similarities between a heart attack and angina?
Both angina and heart attacks can present with similar symptoms. Each person may experience different sensations, so it is important that you know and recognise your symptoms. These could include:
- Pain or discomfort in the chest
- Sensation of pressure or squeezing
- Discomfort that may extend to the back, shoulders, arms, neck, or jaw
- Nausea or a feeling of sickness in the stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Sudden, overwhelming fatigue or weakness
- Sweating
For angina, if symptoms do not stop after 15 minutes, treat it as a heart attack and ring for an ambulance (000 in Australia). They will decide whether you should go to hospital.
Heart attack symptoms
It is crucial to act quickly if you suspect a heart attack, as delay can lead to severe consequences. If you or someone else experiences any combination of the following symptoms for more than a few minutes, immediately call emergency services (000 in Australia) for an ambulance:
- Sudden overwhelming fatigue or weakness
- Sudden difficulty breathing
- Similar sensations to heartburn
- Pain from the chest to the back
- Pain in the shoulder and/or arms
- Severe pain often described as ‘crushing’
- Jaw and neck pain
- Fainting
- A squeezing or choking sensation
In summary, while angina is a warning sign that the heart is not getting enough blood, a heart attack is a medical emergency that requires immediate action. Recognising the symptoms and knowing when to seek help can save a life.
Heart attack action plan
If you think someone may be having a heart attack, regard this as an emergency. Do not waste vital moments. Rather than going to a doctor’s clinic, take these steps:
- Dial triple zero (000) in Australia.
- Ask for ambulance service.
- Report a possible heart attack.
- Give the person an aspirin (typically 300mg) if you have any, unless they have been advised not to take this particular medication.
- Make sure they rest quietly while you wait for transport or an ambulance.
- If an ambulance is not readily available (for example, in some rural areas), quickly notify the nearest hospital, health clinic or the person’s usual doctor for advice.

Image source2
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2024, Heart, stroke and vascular disease: Australian facts, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/heart-stroke-vascular-diseases/hsvd-facts ↩︎
- https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/your-heart/heart-conditions/angina ↩︎