Visceral chest pain in unstable angina pectoris and effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. (TENS). A review.

A substantial proportion of patients with chest pain referred to hospital, show signs of coronary artery disease. Anginal pain could be conceptualized as a warning signal for coronary artery disease and impending death. But, for many reasons this theory is partly disputed. Firstly, not all ischemic episodes are accompanied by anginal pain (silent ischemia). Secondly, chest pain indistinguishable from true angina pectoris may be the result of other abnormalities of thoracic viscera. Nevertheless acute severe cardiac ischemia often gives rise to anginal chest pain. Unstable angina pectoris is carrying a higher risk for future events in spite of intensive medical treatment. A special problem are patients awaiting coronary intervention because of severe ischemia and maximum medical treatment, who experience ischemic pain. New treatment regimens are needed for these patients. This review discusses the symptom of visceral pain from the heart, angina pectoris, its relation to ischemia and unstable angina pectoris. It also addresses the role of afferent nerve stimulation (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, TENS) in the treatment of severe angina pectoris as well as recent findings of TENS applicability in unstable angina.