Jan. 28, 2021 | Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 350,000 people every year. About 18.2 million people in this country over the age of 20 have CAD, that’s nearly seven percent of our adult population. And roughly a fifth of deaths from CAD happen in adults less than 65 years old. CAD affects men and women equally, although women tend to become symptomatic later in life. Your risk of developing coronary artery disease is increased if you smoke cigarettes. Diabetes, obesity and a high level of cholesterol in your blood may also increase your risk of coronary artery disease.  Having a family history of early heart disease also puts you at increased risk for CAD. This is especially true if your father or brother was diagnosed before the age of 55, or if your mother or sister was diagnosed before 65. The more of these risk factors you have, the greater you risk of developing coronary artery disease.

Jan. 28, 2021 | If your coronary arteries become narrowed, they can’t supply enough oxygenated blood to your heart. At first, the restricted blood flow may not become apparent but as the fatty deposits accumulate in your coronary arteries, you may begin to develop some of the symptoms of coronary artery disease. Chest pain is one of the most common ones. If your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, you may develop shortness of breath or extreme fatigue with exertion. A heart attack happens when an area of plaque in a coronary artery breaks apart, causing a blood clot to form. The blood clot cuts off most or all blood to the part of the heart muscle that’s fed by that artery. Cells in the heart muscle die because they don’t receive enough oxygen-rich blood, causing lasting damage to your heart. In this case, chest pain will not subside and may be associated with sweating, nausea and shortness of breath. If this occurs, seek medical care immediately.

Jan. 28, 2021 | February is American Heart Month, set aside each year to remind our country about the importance of heart health. Heart disease kills more people each year than all forms of cancer combined, according to Paul Mounsey, director of UAMS’ Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which is caused by the buildup of plaque, a waxy substance, in the lining of coronary arteries. Dr. Mounsey says the symptoms of CAD may be different from person to person even if they have the same type of disease. Also men and women often describe the pain caused by coronary artery disease differently. Many people have no symptoms, they do not know they have the disease until they have chest pain, a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest. But you can reduce your risk of developing coronary artery disease by not smoking, getting exercise and eating a heart healthy diet.

Jan. 28, 2021 | To determine whether or not you have coronary artery disease, your doctor will ask certain questions about your medical history, do a physical exam and conduct routine blood tests. The doctor may also order one or more diagnostic tests, including an electrocardiogram, or EKG, which records electric signals as they travel through your heart, or an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to produce images of your heart. If your symptoms occur most often during exercise, your doctor may ask you to walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike during an EKG. In other cases, medication to stimulate your heart may be used. To view blood flow through your heart directly, your doctor may inject a special dye into the arteries through a long, thin, flexible tube that is threaded through an artery, usually in the wrist, to the arteries in the heart. The dye outlines narrow spots and blockages on the X-ray images.

Jan. 28, 2021 | For some people with coronary artery disease, medications and lifestyle changes, such as giving up smoking and reducing their stress level, may be recommended. But if symptoms are not controlled or if your doctor is concerned you may be at risk of a heart attack, your arteries may need to be unblocked. Angioplasty may be recommended to open the clogged arteries. During angioplasty, a tiny balloon is inserted and expanded at the site of the blockage to widen the artery. Typically, a stent is implanted in the clogged artery to help prop it open and reduce the risk of it narrowing again. If your arteries are narrowed or blocked in multiple areas, bypass surgery may be necessary. During this procedure, a section of a healthy blood vessel is attached above and below the blocked artery. This allows blood to bypass the blocked area and flow to the heart muscle.