Coronary artery disease, often abbreviated CAD, is a type of heart disease. It's caused by the buildup of plaque in your coronary arteries. The buildup can eventually become so great that blood flow to your heart muscle is impaired or cut off completely, which greatly increases your risk for a heart attack. If you're one of many people who may be at risk for coronary artery disease due to family health history, lifestyle choices, or other factors, it's important to learn how to prevent this potentially life-threatening condition. This article is going to look at different aspects of coronary heart disease. It will focus on the common causes, the symptoms to look for and potential treatments that can be used to assist those with coronary artery disease.
Causes of Coronary Artery Disease
Some of the most common causes of coronary artery disease include:
- Smoking - Smoking is a very strong risk factor for coronary artery disease. Smoking can cause heart disease even in people who don't have any other risk factors.
- Diabetes - High blood sugar can damage your heart in several ways, even if your blood sugar is controlled. The buildup of plaque in your coronary arteries that diabetes causes can eventually lead to a heart attack.
- High blood pressure (hypertension) - High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. When you have high blood pressure, the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries can damage their inner walls and increase plaque deposits in them. Eventually, this buildup narrows your arteries and reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood reaching your heart.
- Family history of heart disease - If your family members have had a heart attack before age 55, you're also at higher risk of developing coronary artery disease. Having a family member who has already had a heart attack is the strongest risk factor for someone of any age.
- Elevated LDL cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) - Excess LDL cholesterol is one of the main causes of coronary artery disease. The American Heart Association recommends that if you have a high level of LDL in your blood, you should work to lower it by changing your lifestyle and adopting a healthier diet.
Signs and Symptoms
If you have coronary artery disease, you may not have any signs or symptoms in the early stages. Below are some of the common signs and symptoms that people might have.
- Pain in the chest or arm - This is a common symptom of coronary artery disease. It usually indicates that your arteries are being damaged by plaque buildup, causing blood flow to decrease to your heart muscle. The pain can be mild, moderate, or severe depending on the location and severity of your coronary artery disease.
- Shortness of Breath - Shortness of breath on exertion is a common sign of coronary artery disease. Experts believe that shortness of breath might be a symptom of a weakened heart muscle rather than a sign that your coronary arteries are being blocked by plaque deposits.
- Fatigue - Signs of fatigue are similar to symptoms of coronary artery disease. You may have more trouble getting up or staying asleep, have less energy, feel weak, and have little endurance. If you're older, lack enough of the oxygen-rich blood your body needs for normal functioning, or are on medication that interferes with it (such as blood thinners), you might experience what's known as "sleep apnea”.
Treatment Options
Step 1 is changing lifestyle. The most important step is to stop the risk factors from occurring. If you're a smoker, your first step should be to quit smoking – period. If you have diabetes, controlling your blood glucose levels can help prevent the progression of the disease and help prevent a heart attack. If you have hypertension, lowering your blood pressure can reduce your risk for a heart attack.
One of the most common treatments for coronary artery disease is a drug called a statin. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may recommend that you start taking statins. Statins reduce the number of fatty deposits in your coronary arteries, thereby helping to prevent plaque buildup and heart attacks by slowing the progression of the disease.