Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease and the highest death for men and women in the world. A data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the disease has killed more than 370,000 people annually.

Coronary heart disease occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart hardens and narrows due to the buildup of cholesterol and other substances or better known as plaque. As plaque builds up and clogs the bloodstream, the heart does not get the blood supply, oxygen and other essential nutrients your heart needs to function normally.

Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease

Heart disease is a degenerative disease in the sense of coronary heart disease takes a long time in the process of formation and accumulation of plaque in the arteries.

Signs and symptoms of coronary heart disease include:

• Chest pain (angina)

•Hard to breathe

•Heart attack

Stress physically and emotionally can trigger the tightness and discomfort in your chest, feels like there is pressure on the chest. This pain is called angina, this is a sign or symptom of coronary heart disease. Chest pain that occurs when you do heavy physical activity and disappear after rest is also a hallmark of angina.

If you experience shortness of breath or feel very tired excessive after exercise or other physical activities can also be a sign of a blockage in the coronary arteries of your heart.

If the blockage in the coronary artery has covered the entire bloodstream, then the risk of heart attack is also greater. Heart attacks are usually marked by pain in your shoulder or left arm or feeling tightness (strong feeling on the press) on the chest area.

If you have experienced symptoms of coronary heart disease and suspect you have had a heart attack, consult your doctor immediately. In general, the doctor will ensure the health of your heart by performing some tests or examinations.

How to Diagnose Coronary Heart Disease

Here are some common procedures that doctors make to ensure you have CHD or are at high risk for CHD.

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or ECG) to see if you've had a heart attack.

• Echocardiogram to see and measure the level of heart function

• Cardiac catheterization or angiogram to check blood flow through your heart.

• Computerized tomography (CT) scans your heart's organs to examine the plaque pile in your arteries.

• Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), using MRI technology to look for blockages in blood vessels.

Causes and Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease

Plaque buildup in the coronary arteries is usually caused by damage to the inner wall of the coronary artery and this can occur from childhood. This damage is usually caused by:

•Smoking habit

• Have high blood disease

• High cholesterol levels

• Have diabetes

• Radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer (in the chest area)

• Lifestyle that is not active (lazy exercise)

• Family history of coronary heart disease

• Overweight or obesity

• High level of stes

The researchers also studied other factors that can cause such coronary heart disease

• Increased triglycerides

• Homocystein is high

• Increased lipoproterin-a

If you have some risk factors for coronary heart disease, such as smoking or having high blood pressure immediately check yourself You go to your doctor so you can get immediate treatment to reduce future risks such as lowering high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels.

Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease

If you have received a verdict from a doctor that you are suffering from coronary heart disease hurry to change lifestyle such as:

•Quit smoking

• Eat a healthy diet

• Exercise regularly

•Lose weight

• Reduce stress

In addition to the above tips, the treatment of coronary heart disease can also be done by taking coronary heart drugs, including:

• Cholesterol-lowering drugs, designed to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL)

• Blood-thinning medications such as aspirin that work to reduce the risk of blood clots

• Nitroglycerin to control chest pain works clearing blockages in the coronary arteries

• Angiotesin converting enzyme (ACE) and angina receptor blocker (ARB) to lower blood pressure

In some cases coronary heart disease requires more serious treatment such as ring fitting of coronary arteries, angiopathy or coronary artery bypass surgery which of course requires a lot of money. Ring mounted aims to open a narrowed artery in order to increase blood flow.

Complications of Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary artery disease can cause the following complications

• Chest pain (angina)

•Heart attack

• Inability of the heart to pump blood (heart failure)

• Abnormal heartbeat rhythms (arrhythmias)

With early examination and appropriate treatment of coronary heart disease can help stop or slow the progression of coronary artery disease and help prevent the occurrence of complications of coronary heart disease