Coronary Artery Disease

About Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary Artery Disease CAD is the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of death globally, killing approximately 9 million people a year according to WHO. CAD occurs when atherosclerotic plaques build up in the coronary arteries supplying the heart muscle. Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol LDL particularly, smoking, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, family history, age, and male sex. The disease develops over decades, beginning with fatty streaks in arteries in adolescence. Stable angina presents as chest pain or pressure with exertion that resolves with rest. Acute coronary syndrome including unstable angina and myocardial infarction heart attack occurs when a plaque ruptures, forming a blood clot that blocks the artery. Diagnosis involves ECG, stress testing, coronary CT angiography, and cardiac catheterization. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, medications statins, antiplatelets aspirin, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and procedures angioplasty with stenting or coronary artery bypass grafting CABG. Chest pain or pressure that may spread to the arm, jaw, neck, or back, especially with breathlessness, sweating, or nausea, may be a heart attack and is a medical emergency; call your local emergency number.