Table of Contents

What is Coronary artery disease

Overview

Coronary heart diseases occur due to the build up of atheroma on the arteries. This build-up narrows the arteries, restricting the blood flow to the heart muscles. This disease takes a long time to become noticeable and severe. Most people are unaware about their condition until they suffer from a heart attack.

Types

Coronary heart diseases can be of the following types:

Obstructive coronary artery diseases: This occurs when plaque build-up narrows arteries.
Non-obstructive coronary artery disease
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection

Causes

Several things may cause coronary heart disease. Some of them are:

High blood pressure
High levels of cholesterol
Lack of exercise
Having diabetes
High levels of lipoprotein
Chain Smoking
Having obesity can increase your chances of getting a coronary heart disease
History of CHD in the family can increase risks of contracting coronary artery diseases too

Symptoms

The symptoms of coronary artery diseases may include:

Fatigue
Severe chest pain
Heart attack
Shortness of breath
Tiredness
Dizziness
Heart palpitations
Severe pain in the neck or back
Nausea
Extreme weakness

Diagnosis

Several tests are conducted to diagnose coronary art diseases. Some of them are:

Blood tests
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Exercise stress test
Coronary calcium scan
Cardiac catheterization
Computed tomography
Coronary angiogram
Thorough study of the family’s medical history

The results of the above-mentioned tests are usually available within 24 hours. Doctors will suggest the right treatment for you based on the results of these tests.

Treatment

Coronary heart diseases can be treated via:

Lifestyle changes: Treatment for coronary heart diseases include making certain lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, maintaining a low fat diet ,exercising routinely, etc.
Consuming medications for high blood pressure: Doctors will prescribe certain medications to manage high blood pressure.
Medications to lower cholesterol: Medications will be prescribed to maintain a healthy cholesterol level.
Coronary artery bypass grafting: Here, a graft(blood vessel from another part like the chest, arm, etc) is taken and attached to the coronary artery, around the area of blockage.
Percutaneous coronary intervention: It is a minimally invasive surgery performed to open up clogged arteries.