Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), also known as “coronary” or “atherosclerotic heart disease” is a serious condition which is caused by building up of a plaque in the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart. The arteries are smooth and elastic. But when plaque builds up on their inner walls, it can become stiff and narrow. This slows down the blood flow to the heart muscle, as a result it doesn’t get the oxygen it needs. The plaque could break off, causing heart attack or sudden cardiac death.
Symptoms:
• Angina (aching, burning, fullness, heaviness, numbness, pressure, squeezing)
• Chest pain
• Palpitations.
• Sweating.
• Weakness and fatigue.
• Shortness of breath.
• Rapid heartbeat.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea.
• Indigestion and heart burn.
• Anxiety
Risk Factors for CAD:
• Male genders have greater risk of heart attack than female.
• Family history of heart diseases
• Advanced age especially after 65.
• Smoking.
• High blood cholesterol and high triglycerides
• Uncontrolled diabetes.
• Physical inactivity
• Being overweight.
• Uncontrolled stress and anger.
• Unhealthy diet.
• Obstructive sleep apnea (repeated stopping and starting of breath during sleep).
Diagnoses:
• Physical examination
• Cardiac catheterization
• Echocardiogram
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Electron beam (ultrafast) CT scan
• Exercise stress tests
Treatment:
• Control blood sugar, fat and sodium level by eating low-trans-fat, low salt and low sugar diet.
• Eat healthy and lesser processed food
• Exercise regularly (with doctor’s advice)
• Quit smoking
• Weight must be according to BMI
• Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP) treatment
• Carotid Endarterectomy: Severe cases of stenosis often require Carotid Endarterectomy, in which a surgeon makes an incision to remove plaque and any diseased portion of the artery while the patient is under general anesthesia.
• Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, also known as Heart Bypass Surgery. During CABG, a healthy artery or vein from the body is connected, or grafted, to the blocked coronary artery. The grafted artery or vein bypasses (that is, goes around) the blocked portion of the coronary artery.
• Balloon Angioplasty or Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stenting: A less invasive option includes During this procedure, a catheter is threaded from an incision in the groin to the site of the blockage, where a balloon tip is inflated to open the artery. A stent may be placed in the artery to expand it and hold it open.
