Angina typically lasts for how long?

• A. A few minutes.
• B. Several hours.
• C. A day.
• D. Several days.

Answer: (A)

Angina is chest pain caused by a transient decrease in blood flow to the heart muscle. It is usually short-lived and self-limiting, most often lasting only a few minutes and tending to resolve with rest or a dose of nitroglycerin. Because the pain from angina is from reversible ischemia, it doesn’t persist for hours or days; such extended duration would raise concern for unstable angina or a heart attack.

So, the best match is a few minutes—the typical angina episode. If pain lasts longer than about five minutes or doesn’t improve with rest and nitroglycerin, treat it as an urgent event and seek medical help, as it could indicate a more serious condition.