Coronary Artery Disease: Prevention and Treatment

Coronary Artery Disease: Prevention and Treatment

What is it?

It is the leading cause of death in the United States among both men and women.

It is the buildup of deposits of LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the arteries which carry blood to and from the heart. This buildup is what your doctor calls plaque. The buildup of plaque occurs over the span of many years, and can accumulate faster or slower depending on many variables, especially physical activity and eating habits.

As these deposits slowly narrow the coronary arteries, your heart receives less blood and oxygen which may cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath or other symptoms. A complete blockage can cause a heart attack.

Coronary heart disease killed 445,687 people in 2005 and is still the single leading cause of death in America today.

Almost 17 million (16,800,000) people today have a history and symptoms of this disease. The numbers include about 8,700,000 males and 8,100,000 females.

This year an estimated 1.26 million Americans will have a new or recurrent coronary attack.

Symptoms:

Chest discomfort or pain (angina) * Shortness of breath * Extreme fatigue with exertion * Swelling in your feet * Pain in your shoulder or arm * Women may have atypical chest pain. It may be fleeting or sharp and noticed in the abdomen, back, or arm.

Because coronary artery disease usually develops over many years, symptoms are often not felt until blockages are severe and life threatening. You may not notice symptoms until your heart is working harder than usual, such as during exercise. But, these symptoms can also occur even when you are at rest.

Risk Factors:

Some hardening of the arteries occurs as a person grows older. However, certain risk factors can accelerate the process. They are:

* Age (over age 45 for men, and over age 55 for women) * Family history of heart disease * Smoking * High blood pressure * High LDL "bad" cholesterol and low HDL "good" cholesterol * Certain diseases, such as diabetes * Being overweight or obese * Lack of exercise * Certain types of radiation therapy to the chest * Stress

These cutaways show the difference between a normal artery and a clogged one

It's easy to see that blood flow is restricted in the clogged artery. Too much of this interruption of blood flow leads to chest pains (angina), heart attack, and even death.

Those who eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise are at much less risk for this killer disease. However, hope is not yet lost for those already stricken with it.

There is another form of cholesterol which is very important in the maintenance of the coronary arteries, This one is called HDL (High-density lipoprotein). Research has shown that HDL cholesterol removes LDL cholesterol from the arteries, thus helping to keep them open and flexible which allows better blood flow to the heart.

I suppose this is a good place for a disclaimer. I am not a doctor nor in any way am I connected to the healthcare industry. Anything suggested here should be discussed with your doctor before being put into practice.

Lifestyle and dietary changes have proven to slow, halt, and sometimes even reverse the condition.

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid helps to raise HDL levels.

These are some foods that are good sources of niacin.

* Dairy products * Lean meats * Poultry * Fish * Nuts * Eggs * Enriched breads and cereals

A healthy diet is helpful in maintaining healthy arteries , but you also need to get that oh, so important daily exercise. Just as exercise is crucial in maintaining weight, flexibility, and all other health matters, so it is in the maintenance of your arteries.

When the disease progresses to the danger point, you may feel a tightness or pain in your chest from minor to severe. You may also feel tired and short of breath. It is possible to feel all or any combination of these symptoms and more . You may feel pains in any part of your body, especially the chest, arms, and legs. You may mistake some symptoms for heartburn, even some doctors have made this mistake, so if you ever feel any of them, you'll do well to treat them as an emergency.

There are many medications doctors can prescribe to treat coronary artery disease.You and your doctor should decide which if any of these treatments are for you, and of course, the dosage for these medicines.

Among them are:

Statins: This class of drugs works in the liver to prevent the formation of cholesterol. Statins are most effective at lowering the LDL (bad) cholesterol, but also have modest effects on lowering triglycerides (blood fats) and raising HDL (good) cholesterol.

Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors:This relatively new class of cholesterol-lowering medications works by preventing the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine.

Fibrates (fibric acid derivatives):Fibrates are best at lowering triglycerides and in some cases increasing HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

Niacin (nicotinic acid):This drug works in the liver by affecting the production of blood fats. Niacin is prescribed to lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

There are also a number of surgical treatments. It will be up to you and your doctor to decide whether you should undergo any of these.

* Angioplasty and stent - heart - discharge * Angioplasty and stent placement - peripheral arteries * Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - open * Coronary artery bypass surgery * Carotid artery surgery * Minimally invasive heart surgery

Please remember that none of these treatments will be fully effective on it's own. They must be accompanied by a good, healthy diet and proper exercise along with your own physician's oversight and recommendations. No one should ever attempt self medication. Everything I have mentioned here should be discussed with your doctor before being put into practice.

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