Angina Pectoris


Dr. Dewey discusses the homeopathy treatment of Angina Pectoris in his bestselling book Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics….


Amyl nitrite. [Aml-n]

      In acute attacks of this disease **Amyl nitrite is usually the remedy given, and it is given by olfaction of the crude substance, Its action is to produces a speedy dilation of the capillaries in the upper part of the body, the face becomes flushed, the heart’s action is rapid and tumultuous, there is a feeling as of a band around the head, constriction about the heart and oppressed breathing. It is very useful in relieving the paroxysm, and if the symptoms correspond it will be found useful at other times.

**Aconite is especially useful during a attack of vaso-motor angina from exposures to cold, with intense anxiety. Coldness pain radiating from head in all directions, with numbness, tingling, paraesthesia.

Glonoine [Glon]

      Glonoine or **Nitro glycerine is a very similar remedy. It has been proved and its action is fairly well known. Its grand characteristic is throbbing all over the body in every vessel, a feeling of fulness in region of heart, and perhaps sharp pains radiating in all directions from heart, labored breathing, and fluttering of the heart, it feels contracted.

**Arsenicum has also proved useful especially in preventing the paroxysms.

Crataegus. [Crat]

      Sudden, terrible pain in the left breast, radiating over the heart and down left arm, despondent and fearful of death. Use tincture in water, frequent doses.

Cimicifuga [Cimic]

      Has pains radiating all over the chest and a sensation as if the left arm were bound to the side The patient may become unconscious;us, the heart’s action suddenly ceases, there is a sense of impending suffocation, l and the pulse is weak and feeble. **Kalmia has shooting pains above the heart to the scapula, anguish about heart, pressure form epigastrium to heart.

**Kali carbonicum has stitches from heart to scapula and there is great weakness.

**Magnesia phosphorica 6x in hot water will frequently greatly relieve the paroxysms of angina and lessen their duration. It has contraction of the chest with pains radiating from the heart in all directions. **Aurum produces a pressure on sternum as from a heavy weight.

Spigelia [Spig]

      Is a useful remedy in anguishing substernal pain which radiates to neck and arms, irregular pulse, tendency to syncope, palpitation and sharp stitches in heart, pulse weak and irregular, or full and bounding with aggravation from the least motion.

**Cuprum has a slow pulse, and clinically it has proved useful in angina, where there is an uneasy feeling about the heart. In cases;of “tobacco heart,” or uneasy pains about the heart due to tobacco, **Nux vomica, Staphisagria and Tabacum have proved useful. **Tabacum 3x has cured cases of angina pectoris in patients with arterio-sclerosis. Especially useful in anginas caused by tobacco also in the intermittent hearts of the aged. If organic disease of the heat be present as a cause of the angina, **Cactus may be the remedy when the grasp of the “iron hand” is present. **Arnica has a sudden pain in the heart as if squeezed and pain in left arm and left chest. If the sore, bruised feeling be present the choice is easy. An other remedy to be thought of in tobacco heart is Kalmia. a numbness of the right hand and arm should suggest **Lilium, which is an excellent remedy in heart troubles. **Latrodectus mactans deserves to be studied, as it has worked well in many cases.

W.A. Dewey
Dewey, Willis A. (Willis Alonzo), 1858-1938.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.