COMMUNITY
Health Hints
Angina pain : Getting down to the heart of the matter
Angina pectoris ? often
referred to as angina (an-gi-na)
? is a temporary pain or
tightnesa in the chest that may be
aharp, or a dull ache.
It may further be described as
crushign, squeezing, burning,
choking, pressing, suffocating,
heavy, bursting or just an
uncomfortable feeling.
The latin words angina
peotoris literally mean
"strangling in the chest." The
\ pain usually radiates to the left
shoulder and down the arm. It
also may be felt in the throat,
jaw, teeth and right arm.
What's this angina pain all
about? According to Dr. Charlei
O. Boyette, a Belhaven family
physician, angina pain is caused
by a lack of oxygen getting to the
heart
Most often it is due to clogged
coronary arteries, sometimes by
spasm of an artery. He said
oxygen-rich blood is a must for
the heart to do its Job. Clogged or
constricted heart arteries just
don't allow enough oxygen to get
to the heart muscles to properly
nourish them.
As a result, all kinds of
uncomfortable sensations
develop.
Although episodes of chest pain
may be scary, Dr. Boyette
stressed that angina is only one
of many possible causes.
Indigestion, anxiety, muscle
disorders, infection or structural
abnormalities can also cause
chest pain. This is why a number
of ttests are necessary before
chest pain is diagnosed as
angina.
Let's look at the heart, a
magnificently engineered and
efficient organ, and try to get
some idea what it is and how it
Engagement announced
Mrs. William B. Jones of
Winfall is proud to announce the
engagement of her daughter,
Cheryl Anita, to Nicholas Bryant
Bullock, son of the Rev. and Mrs.
Clifton Bullock of Durham,
N. C.
The bride-elect is a graduate of
East Carolina University and is
currently employed as a
Supervisor of Cancer Registry
and Research at George
Washington University Medical
CHERYL ANITA JONES
Look i
who's new
WARD
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Ward of
South Mills announce the birth of
their first child, a daughter,
Whitney Lauren Ward, born
November 9, 1984 at Albemarle
Hospital.
Maternal grandparents are
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur K. Clow of
South Mills.
Paternal grandparents are Mr.
and Mrs. John Ward of Hertford.
Maternal great-grandparents
are Mr. and Mrs. Frank Williams
3f South Mills.
Paternal great grandmother is
Mrs. Ellie Ward of Hertford.
THEXMIIff
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Center in Washington, D. C.
The prospective bridegroom,
also a graduate of East Carolina
University, is employed by Penn
Corp Financial Inc. in Silver
Spring, Maryland.
The wedding is planned for
December 22, 1984 at Poplar Run
A. M. E. Zion Church in
Winfall, N. C.
operates.
First of all. the heart is a
muscular pump the site of a
Urge grapefruit ? weighing
about seven to 12 ounces. It lies in
the center of the chest and is
protected by the ribs and
chestbone. It has four chambers
and four valves.
One set of chambers (right
side) receives oxygen-poor blood
from the body and pumps it to the
lungs. The other two chambers
(left side) receive oxygen rich
blood from the lungs and pumps
it to the body.
The blood leaves through
arteries and comes back through
veins. The heart beats about
100,000 times per day ? pumping
around 2,000 gallons of blood
through the body during the
period. Blood circulates rapidly
making over 1,000 round trips
daily.
Angina occurs when the supply
of blood doesn't meet the demand
of the heart.
Dr. Boyette explained that the
most common form of angina u
associated with coronary artery
disease. He said blood vessels ten
to harden with age, or they may
become clogged with deposits of
fatty material.
These processes may take
years. But when the narrowing
progresses to the stage where 75
percent or more of the artery is
blocked, the result may be
angina or a feeling of
breathlessness. Usually the pain
is brought on by exertion or
emotional stress.
Angina may be aggravated by
very cold weather and also by
extremely hot, muggy weather.
Walking into the wind,
particularly a cold wind, may
cause angina pain. Some patients
experience angina if they exert
themselves after a meal.
Dr. Boyette emphasized that
there are different types of
angina, and distinguishing
between them can be a factor in
prescribing the most effective
treatment. He said nitroglycerin,
beta blockers and calcium
channel blockers, are accepted
medicines for angina pain.
Newer treatment procedures
are artery by -pats surgery and
angioplasty by baloon catheter.
Treatment aside, he said in most
instances, angina will pass with
rest.
The family physician ststed
that angina pectoris is not
necessarily a fatal condition nor
is it unresponsive to proper
treatment. It does, however*
demand a thorough
understanding of the patient and
the extent of involvement of
disease.
As a treatment, a change in
lifesytle may be just as
important as surgery or drugs.
(A service of the North Carolina
Academy of Family Physicians).
Our advertised prices in last week's edition of The Perquimans Week
ly will remain in effect until Noon, Thursday, so we would like to take
this opportunity to thank all our friends and customers for their support
and patronage throughout the past eight years.
We like to think of ourselves and our business as a service to the
members of this community, and your faith in us and our service and
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Everday, we strive to provide our customers with superior quality
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you. We feel certain that you have realized that we offer superior quality
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not at all, we invite you to give us a try for a few weeks. We think you
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and friendship is highly valued, and we appreciate the opportunity to
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