The most common symptom that people report when they have angina is chest pain, pressure or a vague chest discomfort. In fact, the term angina pectoris means "a choking sensation of the chest."

An angina attack may feel like a squeezing vise or crushing pressure deep in the chest behind the breastbone (sternum), and may radiate into the back, neck, jaw, shoulders, arms and even fingers or abdomen. People experiencing angina may also feel light-headed and have an abnormally fast or abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia). Some people, especially women and individuals with diabetes, may have atypical, nonspecific or vague symptoms.

The pain is not necessarily severe. People experiencing angina often assume it is due to noncardiac causes such as indigestion, heartburn or costochondritis (an inflammation of cartilage in the ribcage).