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Coronary artery disease - Highlights

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Alternative Names

Angina; Atherosclerosis; Heart disease

Highlights:

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called heart disease, is a condition in which fatty plaque deposits build up in the heart� ' s arteries. These plaque deposits cause arteries to become narrow and blocked, which restricts blood and oxygen flow to the heart muscle. CAD is the leading cause of death, for both men and women, in the United States.

Risk Factors

Some of the main risk factors that increase the risk for CAD are:

Smoking
Unhealthy cholesterol and lipid levels
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Lack of exercise
Obesity

Symptoms

Angina is the primary symptom of coronary artery disease. Angina feels like gripping pain or pressure in the chest area.

Stable angina is predictable chest pain that lasts a few minutes or less and is usually relieved by rest or medication. It is oftentimes triggered by physical exertion or emotional stress.
Unstable angina is unpredictable chest pain that occurs unexpectedly, even when at rest. It is a more serious condition than stable angina and can be a warning sign of a heart attack.

Some patients with CAD have few or no symptoms. Sometimes a heart attack may be the first sign that a person has CAD.

Treatment

Lifestyle changes (such as a healthy diet and regular physical activity) are essential for preventing and treating CAD.
Medications for preventing and treating CAD include aspirin, cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins), and high blood pressure medications. Some patients take nitroglycerin or other nitrate drugs to treat angina.
Surgery may be needed to open blocked or narrowed coronary artery and improve blood flow to the heart. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also called angioplasty, uses a small balloon to open the blood vessel. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a more invasive procedure that is generally for patients with severe heart disease. It uses grafts from arteries or veins to reroute blood flow.

Resources

www.nhlbi.nih.gov -- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
www.americanheart.org -- American Heart Association
www.acc.org -- American College of Cardiology

References

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Reviewed last on: 5/15/2009
Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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