Medical expert of the article
New publications
What is dangerous angina?
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Angina is a polymicrobially caused inflammatory ENT disease, in which the palatine tonsils - a paired lymphoid organ of the immune system - are affected by various bacteria, most often beta-hemolytic streptococcus or staphylococcus. Acute tonsillitis can cause and viruses (adenovirus, coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus).
What is dangerous angina? The fact that microbes and viruses, as well as the toxins they produce, get into the bloodstream and lymphatic system, cause infectious pathologies of other organs.
What's bothering you?
Dangerous effects of sore throats for children and adults
If you ask the otolaryngologist, which sore throat is dangerous, you will get a professional answer: the most dangerous angina is purulent: follicular, lacunary, fibrinous and phlegmonous. All of them give complications both local and general. And children have complications in the catarrhal form of angina.
What is the risk of angina in children? The main complication of catarrhalin in preschool children is unilateral or bilateral otitis, which arises from the infection of the nasopharynx into the middle ear cavity (through the Eustachian tube). If the child has chronic catarrhal angina, the tissues of the okoloth's ring are constantly swelling, and this can lead to difficulty breathing during sleep, known as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. If there is airway obstruction, an emergency intubation or tracheotomy may be required.
What is dangerous purulent angina? With purulent angina - regardless of the patient's age - the focus of inflammation can expand from affected tonsils to surrounding tissues. So, with follicular angina, the inflammatory process first captures the follicles of the palatine tonsils, but often extends to lacunae, and then the ENT doctor diagnoses lacunar angina (or acute lacunar tonsillitis). In both cases, purulent exudate is formed, in which there are many species of rapidly multiplying pathogenic microorganisms, in particular, causing suppuration of Bacteroides spp., Peptostreptococcus spp., Fusobacterium spp. And etc.
What is the risk of follicular angina? The fact that the inflammatory-purulent process initiated by bacteria seizes not only the almond follicles, but goes further and progresses. This leads to the formation of peritonsillar, zagrugal or parapharyngeal abscesses and even phlegmon (diffuse purulent inflammation) of the okoloblocular tissues.
As noted by otolaryngologists, peroretic and peritonsillar abscesses occur mainly in children, often spread to submandibular and cervical lymph nodes and cause acute regional lymphadenitis. And with a lymph flow infection (and toxins of microbes) get into other lymph nodes.
Toxins and enzymes of aggression and protection of microbes get into the blood, and this can lead to the development of rheumatism and infectious polyarthritis; rheumatic heart disease (inflammation of the heart muscle) and mediastinitis (inflammation of the mediastinum); hemorrhagic vasculitis (lesions of the vascular walls); pyelonephritis or glomerulonephritis (followed by chronic renal insufficiency); meningitis (inflammation of the meninges), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain tissue), brain abscess.
Moreover, abscesses with purulent tonsillitis are potentially life-threatening, as they promote the development of postginal necrobacteriosis (Lemierre syndrome), which is the result of infection in the internal jugular vein and leads to its rapid spread through large blood vessels. The result is a general sepsis and a septic (infectious-toxic) shock.
What is dangerous fungal angina caused by Candida fungus? This pathology can give all the above complications, as well as pericarditis, granulomatous vasculitis, diffuse encephalitis with microabscesses, fungal aneurysms, candidal septic arthritis.
[What is the risk of angina during pregnancy?
First of all, fetal hypoxia. This disease occurs with an increase in body temperature, and this has a negative effect on the fetus due to a lack of oxygen flow through the placenta.
Virtually all the complications of acute purulent inflammation of the tonsils of the palatine were examined above. And all of them - depending on the severity of the disease - may occur during pregnancy.
It is known that in addition to streptococcal and staphylococcal angina, this disease can cause the herpes simplex virus, the Epstein-Barr virus (herpesvirus type IV) and cytomegalovirus. If a pregnant woman develops a herpetic (herpes) sore throat, then among the possible complications, doctors call purulent inflammation of the larynx tissues (pharyngopharyngeal abscess), inflammation of the brain or heart muscle, as well as hemolytic or aplastic anemia, as a result of which the level of erythrocytes in blood . In this case, the hypoxia of a pregnant woman leads to the inevitable oxygen starvation of the fetus and very often - to his death.
In addition, the herpesvirus and cytomegalovirus override the placental barrier and infect the fetus, resulting in various intrauterine malformations or placental peeling. In the early stages - as a result of spontaneous termination of pregnancy - the fetus dies.
Knowing how dangerous angina is, you will not risk your health - your own and your children. And you will be treated properly, observing all the prescriptions of the doctor.
What do need to examine?
Who to contact?