| Keep Your Heart Vessels Flowing | | | | Lifestyles Affect Your Heart |
| Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition | | | | The risk of developing coronary artery disease is |
| affecting the coronary artery that supplies the | | | | increased with age especially when associated |
| heart muscles (Myocardium) with blood for | | | | with lifestyles that include smoking, and diets |
| nutrition, and oxygen for carrying away its waste | | | | consisting of high fat intake. Other medical |
| products. CAD occurs when atherosclerosis | | | | conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high |
| advances causing "atherosclerotic plaques." | | | | cholesterol levels contribute to the risk of |
| CAD Patients may remain asymptomatic until | | | | atherosclerotic plaques. |
| developing a heart attack or chest pain known as | | | | Smoking causes constriction of blood vessels and |
| Angina pectoris or angina. The attack is caused by | | | | increased carbon monoxide CO levels, impairing |
| sudden ischemia affecting the heart especially | | | | delivery of good oxygenation and nutrition to the |
| during exercise or with efforts that lead to | | | | tissues. |
| increased work-load on the heart, thus requiring | | | | Obesity, high stress lifestyle and lack of physical |
| more blood supply to the myocardium than it is | | | | exercise or physical inactivity are also risks for |
| able to provide. | | | | developing CAD. People with these risk factors |
| It is All About The Plaque | | | | should start diet modification and physical exercise |
| These plaques are formed of cholesterol and | | | | and discuss, with their healthcare professional, the |
| other materials accumulating in the inner wall of | | | | proper tests to evaluate their risk of CAD. |
| the coronary artery. Eventually, these plaques | | | | Additionally, a family history of CAD means that |
| grow in size, blocking the blood supply to the | | | | the patient may be at higher risk to develop CAD |
| heart and reducing the nutrients and oxygen | | | | sometime in his/her life. |
| delivered. This causes accumulation of waste | | | | Get Tested Before It Is Too Late |
| products, giving what is called a state of ischemia | | | | If you have symptoms suggesting CAD, or one |
| to the heart. Ischemia causes weakening, and | | | | of the mentioned risk factors, you should seek |
| ultimately death of the heart muscles. | | | | medical advice and be sure to discuss this with |
| CAD is a leading cause of death in both males and | | | | your physician. According to your history, physical |
| females greater than 20 years of age. In CAD, | | | | examination, and routine tests (e.g. complete blood |
| the ischemia causes damage to the myocardium, | | | | picture, cholesterol and homocysteine levels,...etc) |
| according to the degree of occlusion. If these | | | | your doctor may perform other diagnostic tests |
| plaques narrow the lumen but allow only minimal | | | | such as Electrocardiogram (ECG), Echocardiogram, |
| blood flow, barely keeping the heart muscle alive, | | | | CT scan and Magnetic resonance. |
| a state of heart muscle weakness occurs leading | | | | Treatment of CAD starts with lifestyle |
| to heart failure and arrhythmias. | | | | modifications such as quitting smoking, controlling |
| Heart failure means that the heart will not be able | | | | stress, consuming a healthy diet and engaging in |
| to pump adequate blood supply to the body | | | | mild, regular exercise. Depending on the tests |
| tissues. Arrhythmia refers to abnormal beating | | | | results and the severity of the disease, the |
| rhythms of the heart. Both consequences are | | | | physician may prescribe a drug treatment or |
| potentially fatal, requiring urgent medical and/or | | | | schedule an evaluation with a specialist. |
| surgical intervention. If the plaques cause | | | | Medical treatment includes different medications |
| complete or "almost" complete arterial occlusion, | | | | such as sublingual nitrate tablets (to be used in |
| the part of the heart muscle supplied by the | | | | case of developing chest discomfort) beta |
| occluded artery will eventually die causing what is | | | | blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers |
| known as Myocardial Infarction. | | | | and cholesterol-modifying medications such as |
| Narrowing of the coronary artery will block the | | | | statins, niacin, fibrates and bile acid sequestrants. |
| blood supply reducing blood flow through the | | | | These will all be prescribed by you primary care |
| vessel causing severe "crushing" chest pain | | | | provider. |
| radiating at times to various areas such as the | | | | A vascular treatment may be needed to improve |
| left shoulder, back, neck, throat and jaw. | | | | the coronary blood flow. This may include |
| Another pathology occurs when the | | | | angioplasty with stent insertion. If the artery is |
| atherosclerotic plaques are big in relation to the | | | | not able to be opened by stenting, the only option |
| lumen diameter, or when the plaques rupture | | | | may be coronary artery bypass surgery. |
| releasing emboli (undissolved foreign bodies) that | | | | All procedures should be accompanied by strict |
| occlude the coronary artery branches which can | | | | lifestyle modifications, regular follow up and control |
| involve a main coronary artery. This can result in | | | | of any risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension |
| sudden heart failure and myocardial infarction | | | | and high cholesterol levels. |
| which is a leading cause of sudden death. | | | | |