Unclogging the Heart: Coronary Artery Disease Simplified

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Rhyse Ortal

Overview

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a disease that results in limited blood flow to the heart. This is due to a buildup of plaque within the blood vessels leading to the heart. CAD can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, and future heart issues.

This disease mainly affects the arteries close to the heart and the heart itself. Plaque within the arteries restricts blood flow to the heart, resulting in less oxygenated blood pumping through the body. It also causes the walls to stiffen and narrow, creating life-threatening situations for the individual with the condition. Blockage elsewhere in the body will most likely lead to further complications.

Causes/Symptoms, Remedies, & Precautions

CAD is caused by another disease called atherosclerosis. This disease is caused by a gradual plaque blockage within the artery walls. More information about this condition can be found here. The difference between coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis is that once atherosclerosis restricts or stops blood flow to the heart, it is then characterized as a coronary artery disease.

Symptoms of this disease range from chest pain to a full heart attack. Normally when first starting out, symptoms will be on the subtle side with chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath. However, the more progressive the plaque is within the arteries, the more likely that it can lead to symptoms of a heart attack which include heartburn and nausea combined with earlier symptoms of the disease.

The remedies to manage coronary artery disease range from change in lifestyle to surgery. In mild cases, a healthy lifestyle is highly encouraged to prevent even the slightest symptoms of coronary artery disease. Certain medications can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as manage chest pains. Those with severe cases of CAD will need to have surgeries/procedures done to widen the artery walls for blood flow.

Other Facts & Interesting News

Coronary artery disease can be life-altering if untreated. It can lead to future heart complications such as irregular heartbeats. Additionally, it also increases the chance of heart attacks (which have fortunately risen to 90% of victims surviving). It is important to note that although a leading symptom of coronary artery disease is a heart attack, it is not always the case that the individual does have the disease. 

Although not considered genetic before, some studies show that 60% of genes lead to coronary risk. This can eventually lead to the creation of specific medicines to help benefit those who have a genetic risk of coronary disease.

Sources I Used & Where to Learn More

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