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Coronary Artery Disease What is Coronary Artery Disease? The heart pumps blood, which contains oxygen and nutrients to the rest of the
body. The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart. Coronary Artery Disease,
or CAD, occurs when fatty cholesterol deposits Coronary artery disease is the single leading cause of death in America. There are currently approximately 5,800,000 men and 6,100,000 women who have coronary disease, angina, or have had a heart attack.
What are the Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease? CAD often progresses slowly with minimal or no symptoms. At times the first signs are angina or a heart attack. Angina occurs when the heart muscle does not get as much blood flow as it needs due to a narrowing. Angina often occurs when the heart muscle gets enough blood flow under normal circumstances, but does not get enough flow during increased demand, such as during exercise. Patients with angina may be at increased risk of a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when a heart artery is blocked off, so that there is inadequate blood flow to a portion of the heart. This causes heart muscle damage. A heart attack is very dangerous and can be fatal. A heart attack often occurs when blood clot forms on top of a cholesterol narrowing in the artery. Rarely, angina or a heart attack can also occur from spasm of a heart artery, even if the heart artery has minimal narrowing. The following are symptoms of angina or a heart attack:
How is Coronary Artery Disease Diagnosed? If you have chest pain, your doctor may suggest an EKG or a stress test. If these tests suggest that you have CAD, your doctor may perform a coronary angiogram, which is also known as cardiac catheterization. This test will allow the doctor to see whether there are any blockages in the coronary arteries, and how severe they are. During a heart catheterization, a thin plastic tube is inserted in the groin artery, or occasionally arm artery. Then a thin catheter is fed to the heart and X-ray contrast is injected into the heart arteries. High-speed X-ray pictures are taken which allow the doctor to determine where there are blockages. How is Coronary Artery Disease Treated? A heart attack can be fatal. Anyone suspecting that they are having a heart attack or having unexplained chest pain lasting longer than 15 minutes should call their doctor or seek emergency medical treatment immediately. Exercise and a low-fat diet are usually recommended for patients with CAD. In addition, optimal treatment of risk factors, such as quitting smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes is necessary. Many patients also receive medication to help improve blood flow in the heart arteries and decrease the likelihood of a heart attack. Aspirin and other medications can decrease the risk of blood clot forming in the heart artery. Other medicines, such as nitroglycerin, can increase the blood flow to the heart muscle, or decrease the heart’s demand for oxygen. Often, in advanced disease, angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is recommended. Angioplasty is a nonsurgical procedure, using a balloon, and often a metallic support called a stent, to open a blocked artery. Bypass surgery provides surgical conduits around blockages in someone who has extensive narrowings.
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develop inside the arteries that
supply the blood to the heart. This build-up is sometimes called plaque or
lesions. As a build-up progresses, the artery narrows and this may limit the
flow of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. A complete blockage of an artery
can lead to a heart attack. Factors that can make you prone to developing
blockages include smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and increased
cholesterol. Coronary artery disease can also run in families.|
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