Final answer:
Exertional angina, or stable angina, is triggered by physical exertion and improves with rest or nitroglycerin, while variant angina occurs at rest due to coronary artery spasms and is less predictable, often requiring specific treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exertional angina, also known as stable angina, is chest pain or pressure that occurs when the heart muscle cells receive inadequate blood flow and oxygen during physical exertion. This type of angina typically improves quickly with rest or the use of nitroglycerin, which helps dilate the coronary arteries to improve blood flow.
Conversely, variant angina, also called Prinzmetal's angina, involves chest pain that occurs at rest due to a spasm in the coronary arteries, not necessarily related to physical activity or the presence of coronary artery disease.
Variant angina is less predictable and can occur without any obvious trigger, frequently happening during the early morning hours. Unlike stable angina, variant angina requires specific medical treatment to address the artery spasms and is also considered a more chronic condition.
Both exersional and variant angina are signs of underlying heart issues and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.