Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) – Here’s an overview of the condition:
The most frequent type of heart illness is coronary artery disease (CAD).The problem begins when a waxy material known as plaque accumulates inside the arteries that provide blood to the heart muscles. It can take decades for blood flow to be blocked, yet it can eventually lead to a heart failure or attack.
What might be possible causes of coronary artery disease?
Plaque, a mixture of cholesterol, fat, and other chemicals, begins to build up on the inside walls of your blood vessels as early as childhood.
It accumulates over time. This causes the hardening and constriction of arteries, which is usually referred to as “atherosclerosis”. In some circumstances, plaque might crack or rupture. In response, platelets will attempt to heal the artery by forming a blood clot.
This buildup makes it hard for the blood to flow freely through the arteries, like gunk in a drain that won’t drain. The heart gets oxygen and food from the blood. If you don’t get enough oxygen, it can cause chest pain and shortness of breath.
If the heart does not have enough oxygen, it can eventually get weaker. This can make your heart beat irregularly. It can also lead to heart failure, which means the heart can’t pump enough blood around the body to meet the body’s needs.
A heart attack could happen if a plaque gets so big that it stops blood from getting to the heart muscle. Most heart attacks, on the other hand, are caused by small plaques that break.
What are the signs that can indicate coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease may not show any signs for a long time. CAD is a long term condition. Plaque buildup can take years, or at times even decades. But as the arteries get smaller, you may start to feel mild symptoms. These signs show that your heart is working harder to get oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.
Common signs of CAD can include:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest discomfort
- Feeling weak
- Dizziness
- Heart palpitations
- Nausea
- Discomfort of the stomach
- Vomiting
- Racing heart
If you have any of these signs, visit the best heart specialist hospital in Coimbatore, to manage your heart issues.
Who might be at risk of coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is more likely to happen as you age or if you have a family history of it. But you can control a lot of other risks, include,
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Lack of exercise
- Diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Unhealthy diet
- Obesity
- Sleep apnea
- Stress
- Anger
- Excess alcohol
- Depression
Understanding the diagnostic procedures for CAD:
Your doctor will examine you and discuss your symptoms, hazards, and family medical history. You may also be given the following tests:
Angiogram:
An angiogram is a test that looks for blockages in the blood vessels by using X-ray images (arteries or veins). With an angiogram, your doctor can see how blood flows through your blood vessels in certain parts of your body. Speak to your heart specialist to know about the Best Angiogram Treatment to help identify cardiac issues.
Electrocardiogram:
It analyzes the electrical activity of the heart and can detect cardiac damage.
Stress test:
Often, this entails walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bike while your ECG, heart rate, and blood pressure are monitored in a hospital setting.
Blood examination:
Blood tests can tell you how much cholesterol, sugar, and triglycerides are in your blood (a type of fat in the blood)
Cardiac catheterization:
A catheterization is a procedure in which a physician threads a catheter through a blood artery in the arm or leg and into the heart. The doctor injects a contrast agent through the catheter and then utilizes X-ray images to visualize the heart’s inside.
Is coronary artery disease treated by a cardiologist?
Coronary artery diseases are generally treated by cardiologists who may then recommend to other specialists in case needed depending on the results of the diagnostic procedures.
What are the different treatment modalities of coronary artery disease?
Lifestyle changes:
- Choose foods that are low in simple sugars, trans fats, saturated fats, and sodium.
- Quit smoking.
- Try to follow an active lifestyle for at least 30 minutes a day.
- Attempt to maintain a healthy weight.
- Find out how to deal with stress in a healthy way.
Medications:
If these modifications to your lifestyle are insufficient, you may need to take medications to promote heart health.
Angioplasty:
This treatment can open obstructed or constricted arteries without requiring chest incisions. With angioplasty, a physician threads a thin, flexible tube containing a balloon through the blood vessels until the blocked artery is reached. The physician next inflates the balloon, which expands the artery so that more blood can flow through.
In many instances, a thin tube known as a stent is also put into the blood vessel to keep it open. At times, angioplasty is performed while doing an angiogram, speak to the doctor to get a brief idea of angiogram cost in Coimbatore before undergoing the procedure.
Coronary artery bypass grafting:
This is a type of surgery in which blood vessels from other sections of the body are used to overcome obstructions in the coronary arteries. This procedure is considered as a serious operation.
Outlook of the condition:
The diagnosis of coronary artery disease can elicit a range of emotions. You may be bewildered as to how this might have occurred. You may feel depressed or wish you had taken alternative actions to avoid this diagnosis. Yet this is not the time to look backwards. Let go of any feelings of guilt or blame. Instead, beginning today, commit to developing a plan to help the heart.
Reach out to the Best Cardiologist in Coimbatore if you are looking to get treated for coronary artery disease.