Coronary heart disease is a type of coronary artery disease, in short termed as CAD. Coronary arteries supply blood to the top of the heart. Often these arteries harden and become narrow giving rise to coronary artery disease. This is a most common type of heart disease and often it weakens the heart muscle giving rise to other heart problems like heart failure and heart attacks. Sometimes coronary heart disease can prove fatal if not diagnosed and treated correctly.

What causes coronary heart disease?

Arteries harden and become narrow due to weakening of heart muscle that builds up a fluid called plaque on their inner walls. The building of plaque in medical terms is known as atherosclerosis. As the plaque increases in size it causes the insides of the arteries to become narrower thereby allowing less blood to flow through them. Therefore blood flow of the heart muscle is reduced. As blood carries much required oxygen, the required oxygen that the heart muscle needs is not received due to the reduced blood flow caused by the arteries. This procedure is called coronary heart disease and leads to give rise to heart failure or heart attack.

Coronary heart disease can cause:

1.       Angina – This is a type of discomfort that happens due to chest pain when the heart does not get enough blood.

2.       Heart attack – Blood clot develops at the site of plaque in the coronary artery and allows less or no blood supply to the heart muscle. Cells in the heart muscle begin to die due to lack of supply of oxygen rich blood thereby damaging the heart muscle permanently. This gives rise to heart attacks.

3.       Arrhythmias – These are changes in the normal beating rhythm of the heart and sometimes can be quite serious.

4.       Heart failure – Does not stop working of the heart, but means inefficient pumping of blood to the rest of the body.

Factors that risk coronary heart disease:

About 83% of people who die of coronary heart disease are of 65 years of age or older. Men are found to be at a greater risk than women. Heredity can also be one of the risk factors.

Other major risk factors that govern coronary heart disease are:

Tobacco smokers

Presence of high blood cholesterol

High blood pressure

Physical inactivity

Overweight

Diabetes

Consumption of alcohol

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