Angina Mediation & Dental Treatments

Post 7 in the “Medications and Dental Surgery: How your medical history influences treatment decisions” series discusses Angina medications and how to manage them with dental treatment.

Heart-related chest pain, also known as Angina, indicates that the heart muscle is receiving insufficient oxygen due to a reduced blood supply normally resulting from narrowing of the coronary blood vessels.  These vessels can become very severely narrowed due to a buildup of what is called atheromatous plaques.  These plaques gradually build up in the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle and the chest pains become more frequent and severe. Medical treatment by an interventional cardiologist becomes necessary.

Patients who suffer episodes of angina, and who have medication for their angina, must bring their medications with them to all dental and surgical appointments.   Angina can be brought on by exercise-induced stress or emotional stress.  Dental treatment, therefore, may cause emotional stress sufficient to initiate angina in some patients.

The most common medications used to treat angina is Glyceryl Trinitrate (oral spray or small tablet placed under the tongue), antiplatelet therapy using daily Aspirin 100mg and beta-blockers including such drugs as Atenolol.

Other posts in this series

• Medication and Dental Surgery: How your medical history influences treatment decisions – Click Here
• Osteoporosis medication influences dental extractions and dental surgery – Click Here
• Diabetes and dental treatment or surgery – Click Here
• Dental extractions and surgery after radiation therapy of the head and neck – Click Here
• Knee or hip replacement surgery influences future dental management – Click Here
• The influence of cardiac disease on dental management – Click Here
• Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications influence management of dental extractions and dental surgery – Click Here
• Codeine sensitivity or allergy – Click Here
• Patients who routinely take steroid medications – Click Here

contact the friendly team at NQ Surgical Dentistry today on (07) 4725 1656 or call in to see us at 183 Kings Rd, Pimlico QLD 4812