Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Coronary artery disease affects the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to your heart muscle. When these arteries become narrowed and blocked due to cholesterol and calcium buildup inside of them (plaque), coronary artery disease develops. This process is called atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. As plaque builds up in the coronary arteries blood flow to the heart is limited. Poor blood flow to the heart can cause ischemia, angina, and heart attack.

Risk factors and causes

There are many risk factors for CAD. Some are avoidable and others are not. Risk factors include: family history of heart disease (especially before the age of 50), male gender, high blood pressure, age (65 and greater), diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Prevention & Planning Ahead

In many cases coronary artery disease can be prevented. If you have any of the risk factors for coronary artery disease, try to control them. For instance, start an exercise routine (with doctor's clearence), eat a balanced diet, and stop smoking. Be sure to see your doctor regularly to check you blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels. Remember: Prevention is the BEST medicine!

Symptoms

The most common symptom of CAD is angina. Angina is a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, burning or aching feeling in your chest. It may be mistaken for indigestion or gas. Angina is usually felt in the chest, but may also be felt in the left shoulder, arms, neck, throat, jaw or back. Other symptoms include: heart attack, shortness of breath, a faster heartbeat, and palpitations (irregular heart beats, skipped beats or a "flip-flop" feeling in your chest).

Diagnosis

There are many tests that can be taken to diagnose CAD. These test include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
• Exercise stress test
• Echocardiogram

Intervention/Treatment

Treatment for CAD depends on your symptoms and how far the disease has progressed. Lifestyle changes, medication, are common treatments. Lifestyle changes may include: stopping smoking and starting an exercise routine. Your doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medication to lower your cholesterol level. Two common surgical procedures are coronary angiography and angioplasty.