Coronary Artery Disease
When the wall of arteries that are responsible for supplying blood to the heart gets clogged by plaque then it is known as coronary artery disease (CAD). As a result of this the space inside the arteries (coronary arteries) gets narrower with time. Plaque usually consists of residue of cholesterol.
Coronary Artery Disease Causes
The primary reason of Coronary Artery Disease is the narrowing of the coronary artery due to the deposits of cholesterol known as plaque. These arteries are responsible for carrying blood to the heart. This process of narrowing of the coronary arteries with time is termed as atherosclerosis.
Signs and Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease
A person who is suffering from a coronary artery disease will experience certain signs and symptoms that can be as follows-
• Pain or stiffness in the chest which is clinically termed as angina. Patient might feel a pressure in the chest too
• Trouble in breathing or breathlessness. The patient might find it difficult to catch his or her breath
• General tiredness or fatigue. When the heart is unable to pump sufficient amount of blood that is required by the body then the patient might feel uncommonly tired.
• Cardiac arrest
Types of Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Artery Disease is majorly of two types which are-
• Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease, along with tapered or clogged vessels.
• Non-obstructive coronary artery disease, along with arteries that are improperly tightened or failed after branching into minute vessels, or are clutched by protruding muscle of the heart.
Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
Coronary Artery Disease can at times become a medical emergency requiring immediate medical attention. However, there are few treatment options like self-care and blood thinners for treating this disease.
The plan of treatment will consist of modifications in your current ways of living, medicines, coronary angioplasty also known as PTCA, and operation.
Self-care
You can adapt the below mentioned measures in order to treat your coronary artery disease-
• Stop smoking
• Losing extra weight
• Physical work out plan
• A diet low in fat
Medications
Your treating cardiologist may prescribe you few medicines as a treatment of this disease that are as follows-
• Statin
• Anticoagulant
• Beta blocker
• Antinational and Calcium channel blocker
Medical procedure
When your coronary artery disease cannot be managed with the above-mentioned measures then you might be prescribed some medical procedures which are Coronary stent and Angioplasty.
Surgery
The last option to treat your disease is Coronary artery bypass surgery
Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease
If your treating health care determines that your risk of getting affected with a CAD is high or you have already started showing certain indications then your cardiologist may prescribe you few tests to detect and diagnose CAD. Your cardiologist will prescribe you several heart tests that will measure the electrical activity, rate, and speed and regularity of your heartbeat. An ultrasound (special sound wave) may also be used for creating a picture of the heart.
Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors
Below mentioned are some of the factors that increases your chance of getting affected with CAD-
• Smoking increases your chance of getting affected with a CAD
• High blood pressure or Hypertension may make your heart muscle to expand and restrict their movement correctly as a result your risk of CAD increases
• Keep a check on your levels of cholesterol. High cholesterol (unhealthy) levels can lead clogging of the arteries that as result increases your risk of heart disease
• High levels of lipoprotein
• People who are physically inactive or does not perform enough exercise are more vulnerable to heart disease
• People with Diabetes are at a higher risk of getting affected with a heart disease • Thrombosis
