Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary heart disease is a condition in which the coronary circulation system fails to supply the cardiac muscle with sufficient blood. The insufficient circulation of blood to the heart also results in the deterioration of the surrounding tissue. This heart disease is a common ailment that has been identified as the primary cause for premature death across the continents. Although the condition is commonly equated with an artery disease that is atherosclerotic in nature, it can also be triggered due to coronary vasospasm and subsequently, stenosis. In this condition, the heart is deprived of the required circulation of blood and oxygen. The surrounding tissue is affected on account of the narrowing of the blood vessels. If left untreated, coronary heart disease results in death.

Causes:

• High levels of cholesterol in the blood is a high risk factor and one of the main causes of coronary artery disease.
• Smoking is also one of the main causes for instigating coronary artery disease. Smoking leads to an increased level of nicotine and carbon monoxide in the blood, which significantly increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
• If hypertension reaches a crisis level, then there are high chances of it precipitating into a coronary artery disease.
• There are certain risk factors which have been implicated in coronary heart disease, like obesity, a high fat diet, diabetes mellitus, lack of physical activity etc.

Symptoms:
The symptoms of coronary heart disease include:

• Severe angina or chest pain.
• Cardiac arrest or heart attack.
• Palpitations.
• Excessive sweating.
• Shortness of breath.

Coronary artery disease symptom

Treatment:
The treatment options for coronary heart disease include:

• Coronary artery bypass surgery.
• Minimal invasive heart surgery.
• Stenting angioplasty.
• Oral, prescribed medication.
• Modified diet plan.
• A dedicated Exercise program.

Prevention:

In order to address the condition and prevent an onslaught of the same, it is important for people above the age of 40 to enlist for routine,quarterly checks to detect:

• Diabetes
• Genetic history of the disorder.
• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol levels.
• Low cholesterol levels.
• Increased levels of C-reactive protein.
• Onslaught of obesity.

Diagnosis of the condition is always clinical and involves:

• Magnetic resonance angiography.
• CT angiography.
• Cardiac arteriography.
• Echocardiogram.
• Electrocardiogram or ECG.
• Electron-beam CT or EBCT.
• Stress test.
• Nuclear scan.

Effects:

The heart pumps oxygenated blood that is received from the lungs to the different parts of the body. The oxygen-rich blood is pumped out via coronary arteries. In the case of coronary heart disease, the heart's blood supply is interrupted and reduced on account of a lining within the artery walls, of fatty substances. Subsequent atherosclerosis results in frequent angina and even myocardial infarction. The condition is life threatening and the onslaught can alter your life considerably.

The effects of coronary heart disease include a mellowed down social life and drastic self conditioning, in the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment. The condition restricts movement and ushers in the serious need to readdress heart health. While taking a toll on your social life, it also does permanent damage to family finances. In the face of neglect, surgery becomes the only way out and the procedure, with all the supporting medication and tests, is quite expensive.