Angina is chest pain or discomfort that can be very debilitating. While many people with this condition respond to treatments, including surgery and medications, some remain with it despite medical efforts.

Mrs. Law says that her husband's doctor prescribed him Ranexa because "He was having a lot of chest pain and a hard time breathing and there was hardly a night that we got any rest."

Cardiologist Richard Gelb explains that for people who have angina the heart doesn't get enough oxygen, and that causes crushing chest pains or a pressing feeling in the chest. "People with angina typically are patients who have coronary artery disease, blocked arteries in the heart in which blood flow cannot increase adequately and meet the demands of the heart during periods of stress. Emotional stress or physical stress."

Dr. Gelb says there's good news now when it comes to treating angina. "Ranexa is one of the drugs that is now available in our toolbox to try to help patients feel better and in several instances I've prescribed Ranexa with significant improvement in their symptoms."

Mrs. Law also says that "We've been getting a lot of rest. He's sleeping through the night, his breathing is much better."

Ranolazine or Ranexa, which is the brand name, is the first anti-angina medication approved by the FDA since 1981. Dr. Gelb says, "It seems to be very, very effective, it seems to be safe and it seems to be at least as good as if not better than some of the more traditional therapies that we use for angina like nitroglycerin, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers."

And most of the patients who have taken Ranexa are noticing a difference. If you experience chest pain of any kind, be sure to see your doctor.

Because Ranexa affects electrical conduction in the heart it's prescribed to patients who have not responded to other anti-anginal drugs.