Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. CAD is usually caused by a process called atherosclerosis. With atherosclerosis, fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the coronary arteries.

This buildup, often called plaque, irritates and scars the arteries, causing them to become hard and thickened. Over time, atherosclerosis narrows the opening that blood passes through, limiting the amount of blood delivered to your heart. When this happens, you have coronary artery disease - the most common form of heart disease.

Risk factors for CAD include:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Family history of CAD
• Age (over 45 for men, over 55 for women)
• Low “good cholesterol”
• Elevated C-Reactive protein in your blood (a protein produced by your liver that indicates inflammation in your body)
• Buildup of calcium in your coronary arteries

Symptoms

How do you know if you have coronary artery disease? Unfortunately, many people don’t know they have it until the disease is fairly advanced. At this point, they may experience angina or a heart attack.

Prevention

Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can help you keep your cholesterol and blood pressure down, keep your arteries clear, and prevent coronary artery disease. Use these strategies:

• Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat sources of protein such as nuts and fish
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy weight and keep diabetes under control
• Quit smoking
• Keep your cholesterol under control (if you are high risk, your doctor may prescribe medication to help with this)

Diagnostic Testing

• Cardiovascular Diagnostic Testing
  • Blood Tests
  • Chest X-rays
  • Echocardiography
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG,ECG)
  • Medical History & Physical Exam
  • Nuclear Cardiac Perfusion Imaging
• Cardiovascular Advanced Imaging
  • Cardiac CT
  • Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • IVUS

Treatment Procedures

• Cardiac Cath Lab Interventional Procedures
  • Ablation
  • Angioplasty (PTCA)
  • Brachytherapy
  • Stent Placement
  • Valvuloplasty (PTBV)

• Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)

Medication

Taking medications is one of the most important aspects of your treatment. To get the most benefit from your heart medications and avoid mistakes and complications it helps to understand why you’re taking them and how they work.

Intermountain Healthcare resources on heart disease, diagnosis, and treatment

• Heart Care Handbook Chapter 2 - Understanding Heart Disease
• Heart Care Handbook Chapter 4 - Diagnostic Tests
• Heart Care Handbook Chapter 5 - Treatment Procedures
• Heart Care Handbook Chapter 6 - Medications

Intermountain Healthcare resources on heart healthy living

• Heart Care Handbook Chapter 7 - Activity for a Healthy Heart
• Heart Care Handbook Chapter 9 - More Healthy Habits
• Blood Pressure Basics: What you need to know to manage your blood pressure
• Blood Pressure Tracker: A tool for keeping track of your blood pressure
• Journey to Freedom: A Guide to Quitting Smoking
• Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
  

Additional Resources

• American Heart Association (AHA)
• Medline Plus Heart Pages