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Coronary artery disease is a chronic disease caused by hypoxia of the heart muscle cells leading to failure. The main cause of coronary artery disease is atherosclerosis. The diagnosis of ailments is largely based on a medical history. Treatment, on the other hand, is primarily about prevention.
What is coronary artery disease?
Coronary heart disease, or ischemic heart disease, is a set of symptoms that occur when cells are not supplied with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Oxygen is an essential element for the proper functioning of the heart. The pain that accompanies coronary artery disease is called angina pectoris or angina pectoris. The possibility of delivering oxygen to the heart muscle depends on various factors:
- the anatomical structure of the coronary vessels of the heart,
- the conditions and degree of gas exchange in the respiratory organ,
- the possibility of transporting oxygen from the place of collection to the place of demand,
- the number of red blood cells and the hemoglobin that oxygen binds to during transport.
The first symptoms of coronary artery disease are characteristic chest pain often accompanied by shortness of breath.
Coronary arteries they are the vessels that wrap around the heart muscle. However, the task of the blood that flows through them is to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the heart muscle. The coronary arteries depart from the aorta. We can distinguish the left (responsible for the vascularization of the anterior and lateral walls of the heart) and the right coronary artery (which is to vascularize the posterior side of the heart), which are divided into smaller branches.
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The causes of coronary artery disease
The occurrence of coronary artery disease is influenced by many causes that we divide into primary and secondary factors. Primary factors are changes in the coronary arteries that cause blood flow abnormalities and therefore inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle cells. Secondary causes are all situations that are unrelated to changes in the coronary vessels.
1. The most common cause of primary coronary artery disease is:
- atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries – causes almost 100 percent. coronary artery disease. In the course of atherosclerosis, cholesterol and inflammatory cells are formed in the blood vessels. Accumulating cholesterol constricts the lumen of the vessel, eventually leading to its closure;
- storage in the walls of coronary arteries of products of abnormal metabolic transformations;
- coronary embolism – is a vessel closure with material other than cholesterol; it is usually caused by a bacterial infection, infective endocarditis, and a blood clot in the left atrium or left ventricle. Blockages also occur in artificial heart valves;
- narrowing of the coronary arteries – occurs due to diseases that affect the whole body of the patient, e.g. syphilis, systemic scleroderma, Kawasaki disease, lupus erythematosus;
- congenital underdevelopment of the coronary arteries;
- injuries leading to narrowing of the coronary arteries, e.g. compression by a hematoma after an injury.
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2. The most common cause of secondary coronary artery disease is:
- hypotension;
- carbon monoxide poisoning;
- abnormal contraction of the coronary artery wall;
- coronary artery spasm caused by the medications taken;
- anemia;
- narrowing of the lumen of the artery due to poorly running arterial muscle bridges.
Coronary artery disease can be stable or acute.
When consumed in excess, cholesterol is deposited in the coronary arteries – then many processes arise 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. Some laminae are hard on the outside and soft on the inside, while others are more delicate and break down quickly. Atherosclerosis is a medical condition that can also lead to clots that can break off and lead to embolism.
- Read more about acute coronary syndromes
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Symptoms of coronary artery disease
The symptoms associated with coronary artery disease usually become active in response to stress, exposure to cold, the consumption of large meals, and exercise. The disease manifests itself most often:
- shallow breath,
- chest pain – especially pain behind the sternum, which radiates to the lower jaw, back and left limb. It may appear in states of severe stress, during physical exertion or after taking nitroglycerin under the tongue,
- oppression behind the breastbone,
- nausea
- palpitations
- faster heart beat
- sweating
- dizziness
- weakening,
- sometimes sudden cardiac death.
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Some people have no symptoms of coronary artery disease. Patients find out about her when she has a full-sided heart attack. It is worthwhile to perform cardiac check-ups once a year as a preventive measure. At Medonet Market, you can buy a package Heart control – blood tests that will help you check if your heart is working as it should.
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Coronary artery disease – diagnosis
The diagnosis of coronary artery disease is based primarily on a detailed medical history and additional tests. Specialists often order an ECG, heart echo and cardiac enzyme tests. 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.
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Another minimally invasive test performed in patients with coronary artery disease that allows to reveal the coronary blood flow and to assess the metabolism of the heart muscle is positron emission tomography (PET).
- If you have frequent heart palpitations, don’t hesitate! Talk to your doctor to make sure you don’t have coronary heart disease
Treatment of coronary artery disease
The treatment of coronary artery disease is based on prevention: lead a healthy lifestyle, eat a balanced diet low in animal fats, get enough sleep and avoid unnecessary stress. It is contraindicated to smoke cigarettes, cigars and pipes. You should also limit your alcohol consumption. Folic acid supplementation, which lowers the concentration of homocysteine in the blood, the excess of which is a very serious risk factor for coronary heart disease, can also bring good benefits.
An example of a well-absorbed folic acid supplement are Folian 400 mcg tablets with calcium XNUMX-methylfolate available at Medonet Market.
There are cases where there is a need for invasive treatment (coronary angiography), consisting in the insertion of a balloon widening the lumen of the coronary artery; angioplasty, the implantation of a stent to keep the arteries open; by-pass implantation, which takes on the function of a closed artery.
Drug treatment of coronary artery disease is based on the use of the following drugs:
- acetylsalicylic acid,
- metabolic drugs,
- beta-blockers,
- clopidogrel (especially after a heart attack)
- angiotensin II converting enzyme inhibitors,
- preparations that lower blood lipids,
- nitroglycerin (as needed for pain attacks).
It is very important to take your medications regularly!
Diet in coronary artery disease
The diet of patients with coronary heart disease should include a large amount of cereal products (groats, pasta, cereals) – it is worth replacing wheat flour products with whole grains. You should limit your dairy products to two glasses of skim milk a day and lean cheese. Replace fatty meat with lean meat (poultry). In addition, it is important to limit table salt, especially by people with a predisposition to arterial hypertension. Remember that salt is also found in large amounts in finished products, so read the labels. It is recommended to eat more vegetables (up to five servings a day).
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When making changes to your diet, it is worth seeking help from a dietitian. The dietitian will indicate specific products that should be eliminated from the diet, and even create a nutritional plan tailored to our needs. You can make an appointment at a private medical facility Arkmedic.
Physical activity in coronary artery disease
The diet should go hand in hand with regular physical effort, individually tailored to the patient. You should get tired, but not overstrain. Fast walks, swimming and cycling are recommended. Avoid physical activity immediately after a meal and in low temperatures, because then the cells of the coronary arteries are more prone to chest pain and spasm.
Also, do not forget about proper supplementation. If you want to support the proper functioning of the heart, you can reach for a dietary supplement with Omega-3 acid available on Medonet Market.
Coronary artery disease – what is the prognosis?
The prognosis of coronary artery disease depends on the stage of its advancement, the patient’s age and comorbidities. Diabetes mellitus, as well as renal failure, respiratory diseases and old age adversely affect the prognosis. About 1 percent patients with stable coronary artery disease dies within a year of the disease, while about 2 percent. myocardial infarction appears.
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