Coronary Artery Disease

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Coronary artery disease is a life threatening condition that affects millions of people. It was one of the leading causes of death in America. Also known as artherosclerotic heart disease, this is the condition of an accumulation of plaque along the arterial walls that supply the myocardium, or muscles of the heart. The most common symptom of CAD is chest pain which is caused by the heart not getting enough blood. Fatigue and shortness of breath are also common symptoms. There are several ways to treat CAD. Consuming a small dosage of aspirin daily thins the blood and prevents clots in the arteries. This is important because the arterial walls have become narrow from the plaque build up making the passage of blood very difficult. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances that are found in the blood. Over time, the lack of oxygen supplied to the heart muscles can cause heart failure. Smokers have a much greater chance of plaque build up then non smokers. CAD is diagnosed in several ways. Electrocardiograms are done to check the flow of electricity through the heart, blood work is done to check cholesterol levels and a stress test is done to check the hearts ability to maintain homeostasis under extreme physical stress. Other then taking aspirin to thin the blood, other medications are offered and prescribed to prevent the continual thickening of the arteries.