Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and a leading cause of death worldwide.
❤️ What is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)?
CAD occurs when the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle, become narrowed or blocked due to atherosclerosis — the buildup of plaque (cholesterol, fat, calcium).
⚠️ Causes
- Atherosclerosis (main cause)
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Lack of exercise
- Family history of heart disease
🩺 Symptoms of CAD
Early stages may have no symptoms. As the disease progresses:
Common Symptoms:
- Chest pain (angina) — squeezing, pressure, or heaviness
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue with activity
- Heart palpitations
- Pain in arms, jaw, neck, or back
Emergency Signs (Heart Attack):
- Severe chest pain or pressure
- Sweating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
🚨 If these symptoms occur suddenly, seek emergency help immediately — it could be a heart attack.
🧪 Diagnosis
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
- Stress test (exercise or chemical)
- Echocardiogram
- Coronary angiography
- CT coronary angiogram
- Blood tests (cholesterol, troponin)
💊 Treatment Options
Lifestyle Changes:
- Healthy diet (low fat, low salt, high in fruits/vegetables)
- Exercise regularly
- Stop smoking
- Control diabetes and blood pressure
- Maintain healthy weight
Medications:
- Statins (lower cholesterol)
- Beta-blockers (reduce heart workload)
- ACE inhibitors (lower blood pressure)
- Nitroglycerin (relieve chest pain)
- Antiplatelets (e.g., aspirin to prevent clots)
Procedures/Surgery:
- Angioplasty + stent: Opens blocked artery with a balloon and metal mesh
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG): Reroutes blood flow around blocked arteries
✅ Prevention
- Eat heart-healthy foods
- Get regular physical activity (30 min/day, 5x/week)
- Don’t smoke
- Manage stress
- Monitor blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol regularly