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Coronary Heart Disease (or Coronary Artery Disease) Explained
By Matthew | June 26, 2007
An overview of the coronary heart disease:Coronary Heart Disease, otherwise known as coronary artery disease, is the buildup of plaque (fat, calcium and scar tissue) in the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart.
The buildup of these substances inside the coronary arteries can lead to the heart not getting enough blood (therefore, not getting enough oxygen). When this happens, this leads to chest pain (otherwise known as angina).
If the blood is completely blocked, this can lead to a heart attack (which is known as a myocardial infarction) or a sudden change in your heart rhythm (cardiac arrest).
This is the leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, heart disease accounted for more than 650,000 deaths in America in 2004 according to the CDC’s estimations.
Ironically, heart disease is by some standards preventable. By leading a healthy lifestyle including diet and exercise, a person can greatly decrease their likelihood of suffering from the disease.
Causes of coronary heart disease include, but not limited to, a high-fat diet, lack of exercise, stressful lifestyle, tobacco use, family heredity, and high cholesterol. Those are in no particular order.
Symptons of coronary heart disease include:
Symptons may only come into full light after it’s too late. Sudden cardiac arrest may result from the artery blockage. If this happens, it can sometimes be fatal. This usually happens during some kind of exercise or other strenuous activity. This is when the heart needs oxygen and other vital nutrients the most, so it is only natural for the arrest to happen during these activities.
Other symptons of the disease itself include, but are not limited to, chest pain, leg or arm pain on the left side, dizziness, and an irregular heartbeat.
A chart of severity in America based on county and state can be found here.
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