Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), also known as ischemic heart disease, is a medical condition characterized by the impairment of blood flow to the heart muscle due to the buildup of plaque within the walls of coronary arteries. This leads to atherosclerosis, where plaques composed of cholesterol, fatty substances, calcium, and other matter narrow the arteries, reducing the oxygen and nutrient supply to the heart muscle, necessary for its proper function. Over time, this can cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or other symptoms. A complete blockage can result in a heart attack (myocardial infarction), which can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle.

Risk factors contributing to CAD include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, genetic predisposition, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. Diagnosis might involve medical history evaluation, physical exams, blood tests, electrocardiograms, stress tests, and imaging techniques like coronary angiography. Treatment strategies for CAD aim to relieve symptoms, reduce future cardiovascular events and improve quality of life. These include lifestyle changes, medications like statins, beta-blockers, or aspirin, and possibly interventional procedures such as angioplasty with stent placement or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, especially when severe blockages are present.