Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Coronary artery disease develops when the major blood vessels that supply your heart
with blood, oxygen and nutrients begins to have plaque buildup inside the arteries. This plaque
also causes inflammation in your arteries and is usually to blame for coronary artery disease.
The buildup of plaques occurs over many years. This build up in the arteries is called
atherosclerosis.
Angina is chest pain or chest discomfort. These symptoms can occur in many different
places, most commonly the chest, neck and jaw. It may feel like pressure, tightness, heaviness,
burning or squeezing on the chest. Angina
sometimes feels like indigestion.
If your coronary arteries narrow, they
can't supply enough oxygen-rich blood to
your heart -- especially when it's beating
hard, such as during exercise. At first, the
decreased blood flow may not cause any
symptoms. A partially blocked or
completely blocked coronary artery may
cause a heart attack. The classic signs and
symptoms of a heart attack include crushing
pressure in your chest and pain in your
shoulder or arm, sometimes with shortness
of breath, sweating and nausea.
Risk factors of Coronary Artery Disease:
1- Family history. A family history of heart disease is associated with a higher risk of
coronary artery disease, especially if a close relative developed heart disease at an early
age.
2- Smoking. People who smoke have a significantly higher risk of heart disease. Exposing
others to your secondhand smoke also increases their risk of coronary artery disease
3- Age. Simply getting older increases your risk of damaged and narrowed arteries.
4- Sex. Men are generally at greater risk of coronary artery disease. However, the risk for
women increases after menopause.
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