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In developed countries, coronary artery disease is the most common disease of the circulatory system, and heart attacks and sudden cardiac death are the leading causes of death. They are getting younger and younger. However, steps can be taken to prevent and treat coronary artery disease, and a healthy lifestyle has the greatest impact.
- Coronary artery disease often goes unnoticed over the years
- It is one of the most frequently diagnosed cardiological diseases and in most cases it results from an unhealthy lifestyle
- Diagnostics consists of a medical history and additional tests, such as ECG, echo of the heart and testing of cardiac enzymes.
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What is coronary artery disease
As coronary artery disease often develops over decades, you may not notice the problem until it shows up as a heart attack, for example. Coronary heart disease, or ischemic heart disease, is a set of symptoms that occur when cells are not supplied with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. The causes of coronary artery disease are well known – the accumulation of fatty plaques in the arteries (atherosclerosis) is the most common cause of coronary artery disease. And unhealthy lifestyle habits such as poor diet, lack of exercise, overweight and smoking lead to atherosclerosis.
Symptoms of coronary artery disease
If the coronary arteries narrow, they cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Initially, reduced blood flow may not cause any symptoms, but as plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, symptoms of coronary artery disease may occur:
Chest pain (angina). It is a feeling of tightness in the chest, often described as the feeling that someone is even standing on it. This pain, called angina, usually occurs in the middle or left side of the chest and is often caused by physical or emotional stress. Pain usually goes away within minutes. In some people, especially women, the pain may be short or sharp and felt in the neck, shoulder, or back.
Dyspnoea. If your heart cannot pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, you may experience shortness of breath or extreme tiredness.
Myocardial infarction. A completely blocked coronary artery will cause a heart attack. The classic signs and symptoms of a heart attack are crushing pressure in the chest and pain in the arm or arm, sometimes with shortness of breath and sweating.
Important! Women are slightly more likely than men to have less common signs and symptoms of a heart attack, such as pain in the neck or jaw. They may also have other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, tiredness and nausea.
Sometimes a heart attack occurs with no obvious signs or symptoms.
Coronary artery disease. When to see a doctor
The first symptoms of coronary artery disease are characteristic chest pain often accompanied by shortness of breath. If we have any suspicions of a heart attack, we call the emergency room.
If we have risk factors for coronary heart disease – such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, or a family history of heart disease – consult a cardiologist.
Coronary heart disease risk factors
Let’s be careful when we have additional risk factors for developing coronary heart disease.
Age. Aging increases the risk of damage and narrowing of the arteries.
Sex. Men are generally more likely to develop coronary heart disease, but the risk for women increases after the menopause. Men get sick more often, especially at the age of 40-55. In the group of elderly people, the incidence of this disease is similar for both sexes.
Family history of heart disease is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease, especially if a close relative developed the disease at a young age. Experts say the risk is greatest if a father or brother was diagnosed with heart disease before the age of 55, or if a mother or sister developed heart disease before the age of 65.
Smoking. Smokers have a significantly increased risk of heart disease, and this also applies to passive smoking.
Untreated high blood pressure it can cause hardening and thickening of the arteries, narrowing the channel through which blood can flow.
High cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of atherosclerosis. Cholesterol is deposited in the coronary arteries – then many processes are created that destroy the walls of blood vessels. Cholesterol, fat, and other substances contribute to the formation of plaques that narrow the blood supply to the heart.
Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease have similar risk factors, such as obesity and high blood pressure.
Overweight, obesity, inactivity, high stress, and an unhealthy diet (foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, salt and sugar) all significantly increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
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Coronary artery disease. Additional risk factors
Risk factors often go together and one may trigger the other. For example, obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Sometimes, coronary artery disease develops without the classic risk factors. Scientists are also studying other possible risk factors, including, for example sleep apnea Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during sleep apnea increase blood pressure and put stress on the cardiovascular system, which can lead to coronary artery disease.
He is also dangerous preeclampsia – this condition, which can develop in pregnant women, causes high blood pressure and more protein in the urine. It can lead to a greater risk of heart disease later in life.
It can damage the heart muscle alcohol abuse. Autoimmune diseases they also increase the risk of developing the disease. People with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus (and other inflammatory conditions) have an increased risk of atherosclerosis.
Coronary artery disease: prevention
The same lifestyle habits that help treat coronary artery disease can also help prevent it. A healthy lifestyle helps keep arteries strong and avoid atherosclerosis. To improve heart health, it is worth:
- quit smoking
- control conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar
- be physically active
- eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight
- manage stress
Coronary artery disease: diagnosis
The diagnosis of coronary artery disease is based primarily on a detailed medical history and additional tests such as ECG, echo of the heart and testing of cardiac enzymes. Sometimes it is necessary to visualize the coronary arteries, for this purpose coronary angiography is performed. It consists in inserting a special catheter through the femoral artery into the coronary vessels and administering a contrast agent through it. The image of the arteries is displayed on the monitor screen.
Another minimally invasive test that reveals the coronary flow is positron emission tomography (PET).
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