Question

A client tells the nurse, "Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with chest pain that goes away if I take nitroglycerin." The nurse should recognize that the client is experiencing which type of angina?

A. stable angina
B. unstable angina
C. Prinzmetal angina
D. Microvascular angina

Answer 1

The client is describing symptoms consistent with Prinzmetal angina, a condition characterized by chest pain due to coronary artery spasms that commonly occurs at rest and can be relieved by nitroglycerin.

Step-by-step explanation:

A client who wakes up in the middle of the night with chest pain that goes away after taking nitroglycerin is experiencing a type of angina known as Prinzmetal angina. This type of angina is also called vasospastic angina and is characterized by spasms of the coronary arteries causing chest pain, typically at rest or during the night or early morning hours, which can be relieved by nitroglycerin.

Unlike stable angina, which is precipitated by exertion and usually goes away with rest or medication, Prinzmetal angina is not typically associated with physical exertion. It differs from unstable angina as well, which is more serious, can occur at rest, lasts longer than 15 minutes, and may signal an imminent heart attack. Treatment of angina aims to relieve symptoms and slow the progression of the underlying condition, which is often atherosclerosis - the build-up of plaque in the coronary arteries limiting blood flow to the heart muscle and causing pain due to lack of oxygen.