What Is Coronary Artery Disease?

Coronary artery disease is a serious cardiovascular problem that occurs when plaque build-up develops. The arteries can start to narrow, leading to improper blood flow, causing a blockage to the heart.

Overtime, as it gets worse, you might experience chest pain, shortness of breath, leg cramps or shooting pains your extremities.

Several factors for coronary artery disease include:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Living a sedentary lifestyle

When left untreated, coronary artery disease significantly increases your risk of a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when one or more of your coronary arteries loses all blood flow. Classic signs of a heart attack include:

• Chest pain
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders
• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back
• Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint (This can cause cold sweats)
• Shortness of breath (This often comes along with chest discomfort, but shortness of breath can occur before chest discomfort.)

If you or a loved one experiences these or similar symptoms, call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room right away.

Lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthier (lower sodium, lower fat) diet, increasing physical activity, reaching a healthy weight, and quitting smoking can promote healthy arteries and lower your risk of a heart attack. Cholesterol-modifying medications and beta-blockers can decrease the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood and lower your blood pressure.

Treatment for coronary artery disease depends on the severity of your symptoms. To learn more about treatment options for coronary artery disease, call Premier Cardiovascular Consultants, or request an appointment online today.