Coronary artery disease develops when the main blood vessels which supply the heart with blood, oxygen, and nutrients that are coronary arteries become damaged or diseased. Cholesterol-containing deposits plaque in the arteries and inflammation are usually blame for coronary artery disease. When plaque is build up, it narrows the coronary arteries, decreasing blood flow into the heart. In the end, the decreased blood flow can cause chest pain or angina, shortness of breath, or other coronary artery disease symptoms and sign. A complete blockage may result in a heart attack. Because coronary artery disease frequently develops over decades, the problem might not be noticed until a significant blockage or a heart attack showcased. But there’s plenty of ways to prevent and treat coronary artery disease. A healthy lifestyle may make a big impact .
The Symptoms
When coronary arteries narrow, can’t supply enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart — especially when it’s beating hard, like during exercise. Initially, the decreased blood flow may not cause any coronary artery disease symptoms. As plaque continues to gather in the coronary arteries, however, the coronary artery disease signs and symptoms, maybe developed which include:
Chest pain (angina):- That’s, feeling pressure or tightness in the chest as if something is standing on the chest. This pain, known as angina, do occur on the middle or left side of the chest. Angina is commonly triggered by physical or emotional stress. This pain usually goes away within minutes after stopping the stressful activity. In some cases, this pain may be fleeting or sharp and felt in the neck, arm or back.
Shortness of breath:- This is when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, this may lead to shortness of breath or extreme fatigue with exertion.
Heart attack:- This completely blocked coronary artery will result in a heart attack. The common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include crushing pressure in the chest and pain in the shoulder or arm, sometimes with shortness of breath and sweating. Females are somewhat more likely than males are to experience less typical signs and symptoms of a heart attack, like neck or jaw pain. At times a heart attack occurs without any apparent. To prevent this, all these must be followed:-
- Stop smoking
- Control conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.
- Physically active
- Eat a low-fat, low-salt diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress