Definition:
The heart supplies the body with blood, and the heart also supplies itself with blood through a set of vessels called the coronary arteries. When these arteries narrow, the heart muscle does not get enough blood to continue working, and this can lead to chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, and heart attack (myocardial infarction). The arteries usually get narrow due to fatty build-up. Several predisposing factors to CAD include: family history, male, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and lack of exercise.
Symptoms:
- Chest pain (intensity varies proportionally to the amount of blockage) - feels like heart is being "squeezed" that can radiate to left chest, back, and arm.
- Shortness of breath - can be accompanied by swollen feet and ankles (usually is a sign of congestive heart failure)
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction) - in more severe cases
- Unusual heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
Diagnosis:
- Electrocardiogram - test the characteristics of heart rate and rhythm
- Echocardiography - to create a "picture" of the heart
- Arteriography - contrast dye to see how wide/narrow the artery is
- Exercise stress test - to test heart function at increased demand state
- Cardiac catheterization- show the heart's internal structures
Treatment:
- Changes in lifestyle
- Lose weight
- Reduce sodium intake
- Exercise
- Quit smoking
- Medication
- Aspirin - to reduce risk of blood clots
- Abciximab - to reduce risk of blood clots
- Heparin - blood-thinners to reduce viscosity of blood
- Beta-blockers - decrease heart rate and blood pressure
- Nitrates - improve heart blood supply
- ACE inhibitors - lower blood pressure
- Calcium channel blockers - to relax artery tone
- Interventions
- Surgery
