Coronary Artery Disease-Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

The coronary arteries are blood vessels that carry pure, oxygenated blood to the heart. When they operate below their normal levels, it can lead to a decreased flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart. Along with this, the reduced blood flow also exerts pressure on the heart to supply more blood to the vital organs.

What Is Coronary Artery Disease?

In their natural form, these arteries are smooth and elastic; when there is a build-up of plaque, it leads to the narrowing of the arteries which restricts the blood flow to the heart. Such decreased blood flow may lead to angina and leave you short of breath or could manifest into other symptoms of coronary artery disease, more commonly known as coronary heart disease or atherosclerotic heart disease in medical parlance. Extreme cases of plaque deposit also result in heart attacks.

The causes of coronary heart disease are noticed after prolonged duration. Significant blockages can result in discomfort and lead you to seek medical attention.

What Are The Symptoms Of Coronary Heart Disease?

When the body is exerted, the heart pumps faster to increase blood flow; however, blockages or plaque deposits in your arteries restrict the blood flow and cause discomfort. Such discomfort may be common in the form of angina or chest pain.

You May Look For The Following Coronary Artery Disease Symptoms:

• Body ache
• Burning Sensation
• Heaviness
• Numbness
• Pressure in the chest region
• Painful squeezing

The above symptoms can be misinterpreted to be heartburn or indigestion and can also be felt in the arms, shoulder, back, jaw, or neck, apart from the chest region.

What Are The Causes Of Coronary Heart Disease?

Coronary artery disease causes can accrue early on, even in your childhood. The inner layer of your coronary artery can get damaged due to various factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol levels, along with a sedentary lifestyle. Diabetes or resistance to insulin can also lead to coronary heart disease. Such damage to the coronary artery can lead to the accumulation of plaque, which comprises cholesterol and cellular waste, and result in atherosclerosis. Extreme cases of atherosclerosis lead to coronary heart disease. Additionally, the breaking down of the artery’s surface causes the blood vessels to accumulate for necessary repairs and lead to a blockage. This may cause heart attacks due to high cholesterol in extreme situations.

How To Avail Treatment For Coronary Heart Disease?

Coronary artery disease treatment can involve changing a multitude of lifestyle factors along with medication. Avoiding processed foods can be a preliminary way to treat coronary artery disease at the grassroots and resorting to a diet which contains negligible levels of trans-fat, low salt, and low sugar is the best place to start. Apart from these, smoking should be avoided as it increases unnecessary complications. Diabetes patients should keep a tab on their blood sugar levels as wells.

The treatment depends on the intensity of your coronary heart disease. Intense cases require balloon angioplasty, coronary artery bypass surgery, or even stent placement. These methods improve the blood flow to your heart without exerting much pressure on it, thus restoring normalcy.

Some other treatments include alterations in genetic built-up, which promotes faster growth of blood vessels. This is called angiogenesis. Considering the lack of symptoms observable at an early stage, getting a preventive health check-up done at periodic intervals can help detect coronary artery disease early on. Additionally, buying a health insurance plan keeps you secure during emergencies.

You can read more about this on our health guide regarding angioplasty and coronary angiography, tuberculosis etc. Stay protected & stay fit!