Potential complications of angina include cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmia or unstable angina.

A myocardial infarction occurs as a result of an atheromatous plaque rupturing or breaking away causing the formation of a blood clot. The blood clot blocks the artery preventing the supply of oxygenated blood to the myocardium. This leads to extensive damage to the heart muscle triggering an MI.

Atheromatous plaques that lead to angina symptoms can also occur in the blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the brain. Formation of a blood clot and occlusion of these vessels can result in a stroke.

Damage to myocardial tissue can result in disruption to the conduction of electrical impulses within the myocardial tissue that can trigger cardiac arrhythmias.

Patients are also at an increased risk of anxiety and depression with a consequent reduction in quality of life. Pharmacists counselling patients or conducting advanced services such as MURs or NMS services with angina patients should be alert to patients showing signs of anxiety or depression.