Mayo Clinic Health Letter Tip of the Month - May 21, 2002

Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Chest Pain Isn't the Only Symptom of Heart Problems SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.- Only about half of the people who have a heart attack experience chest pain (angina) - a symptom of coronary artery disease. But there are other symptoms, called anginal equivalents, which also indicate coronary artery disease.

Knowing what anginal equivalents feel like could alert you to a heart problem and save your life, according to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Coronary artery disease narrows one or more arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. If an artery becomes mostly or completely blocked, a heart attack or even sudden death may result.

Common anginal equivalents include shortness of breath and exercise-induced pain in the abdominal region, back, jaw, arm - more commonly in the left arm - or shoulder.

Pain associated with anginal equivalents may:

• Be activity induced. The pain tends to be acute and occur with activity or emotional stress and may subside with rest.
• Have no obvious cause. For example, if you experience shoulder pain every time you are emotionally upset, it could be an anginal equivalent.
• Recur. Symptoms can follow a pattern, for example, shortness of breath every time you are 10 minutes into a walk.

See your doctor if you experience these types of symptoms, especially if you are at high risk of coronary artery disease. Risk factors include smoking, being overweight or over age 65 and having a family history of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Allergy Symptoms But No Allergies?

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - If allergy tests turn up nothing and you are still sniffling, you could have nonallergic rhinitis. The condition produces similar symptoms to allergies, but doesn't involve allergens, according to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

The difference is what triggers the problem. With nonallergic rhinitis, the lining of the nose is simply more sensitive to temperature changes or strong or unpleasant odors, like perfume or smoke. These triggers cause nasal membranes to swell, resulting in congestion. The best treatment is avoiding irritants. Over-the-counter saline sprays and prescription corticosteroid or antihistamine nose sprays may help.

Tips for Splitting Pills

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Sometimes it's necessary or less expensive to split pills to take the prescribed dosage. The May issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers these tips about splitting pills.

• Ask your physician or pharmacist how the pill is absorbed. If it's an extended-release or coated tablet, it may not do its job when split or it could be dangerous.
• Ask your physician or pharmacist about the pill shape and design. Some are scored for easy splitting, and some are very difficult to split. In addition, the active ingredient may not be spread evenly throughout the pill so you may not get an accurate dose with half a pill.
• Get the right tool for the job. Don't use a knife. Pill splitters that require only light pressure are available at your local drugstore for just a few dollars.

###

###

To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.