Overview
Heart artery disease, also known as coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of death in the UK and worldwide. CAD is sometimes called ischaemic heart disease or coronary heart disease.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of coronary heart disease are:
- chest pain (angina pectoris or just angina)
- breathlessness
- pain in your neck, shoulders, jaw or arms
- light-headedness
- feeling sick (nausea)
But not everyone has the same symptoms, and some people may not have any before coronary heart disease is diagnosed.
If blood vessel blocks completely then you will have a heart attack or myocardial infarction which may cause permanent damage to the heart muscle
Causes
Coronary artery disease is the term that describes what happens when your heart's blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries.
Over time, the walls of your arteries can become furred up with fatty deposits. This process is known as atherosclerosis and the fatty deposits are called atheroma.
Atherosclerosis can be caused by lifestyle factors, such as smoking and regularly drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
You are also more at risk of getting atherosclerosis if you have conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension) or diabetes.
Diagnosis
If your doctor feels you are at risk of coronary heart disease, they may carry out a risk assessment.
They will ask you about your medical and family history and your lifestyle, and they will take a blood test.
Further tests may be needed to confirm coronary heart disease, including:
- electrocardiogram (ECG)
- echocardiogram
- chest x-ray
- Invasive coronary angiography
Treatment
Coronary heart disease cannot be cured but treatment can help manage the symptoms and reduce the chances of problems such as heart attacks.
Treatment can include:
- lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and stopping smoking
- medication
- angioplasty
- coronary artery bypass surgery