Learning About Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition that affects the arteries that supply blood to the heart

Learning About Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition that affects the arteries that supply blood to the heart.It is typically due to atherosclerosis, which is a plaque buildup within the artery walls. This buildup causes the inside of the arteries to narrow and slow blood flow.

There are many risk factors for CAD, some are not controllable, but others can be modified. CAD develops over a long period of time and eventually progresses to the point where you may experience symptoms such as chest pain. Diagnosis is made using various tests, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or stress test. Treatment for CAD includes lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes heart procedures or surgery.

Coronary artery disease causes:

A combination of genetic and environmental factors contributes to Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery disease. These are called risk factors. The following risk factors are important to be aware of, but are not considered controllable:

    • Age: The chance of developing heart disease rises with age.
    • Identity: Men: Men over 55 are at higher risk of heart disease Women:  Following menopause, a woman's risk of heart disease gradually rises until it equals that of a man.
    • Heredity: Your risk of heart disease increases if a close family member—a parent, brother, or sister—developed heart disease before age 55 or, in the case of female relatives, before menopause.
    • Ethnicity: First Nations people and people of African or Asian descent are at higher risk of developing heart disease than other groups.

    Risk factors you can control are:

    • Smoking
    • Excess body weight, especially around the waist
    • Diabetes
    • High blood pressure (hypertension)
    • Abnormal blood cholesterol levels
    • Lack of regular exercise
    • Excessive stress levels
    • Depression

     Symptoms of coronary heart disease

    • There are likely no symptoms in the early stages of the disease..
    • Chest pain (affecting left arm and shoulder). This pain is usually associated with exercise such as climbing stairs or can occur after eating in the sternum, usually spreading to the arm and chin. It usually goes away in 5-10 minutes after resting.
    • Get exhausted quickly
    • Shortness of breath comes with exertion
    • syncope (fainting)
    • Sudden death
    • Remember that sometimes coronary artery disease is asymptomatic or the first symptom may be a myocardial infarction

    Treatment of coronary heart disease

    Coronary artery disease can be treated with drugs, bypass, or percutaneous interventions (balloon, stent). The surgeon will decide on the method based on the results of the patient's examination.

    Myocardial infarction (heart attack)

    When a narrow coronary artery is completely blocked, the heart muscle tissues in the related area die. In a myocardial infarction, the pain is more intense and longer. It is not a mental exercise. This heart attack affects the pumping function of the heart in a bad way so that the heart cannot pump enough blood and as a result heart failure can occur. Myocardial infarction can also threaten patients' lives. In order to avoid these stages of the disease, early Heart Attack Treatment is very important.

    Coronary bypass

    Coronary artery bypass surgery is meant to be vein bridges that are taken from other areas of the body for the heart when the heart's coronary arteries themselves are not working properly.

    Veins that are used for coronary artery bypass grafting:

    • Leg vein (saphena)
    • The artery that supplies the anterior chest wall (internal mammary artery, IMA)
    • Brachial artery (radial artery)

    Today, with modern surgical techniques and technology, patients are discharged after open heart surgery in approximately 5 days. He will return to his daily life in a short time. In 4-6 weeks they are fully able to resume normal life including driving and intercourse.

    Long-term results of coronary bypass surgery are successful. Many patient complaints, such as shortness of breath or pain, are stopped and they claim that their performance at work or in private life has improved. Rarely, however, do some patients need surgery again 10 or more years after surgery.

    Coronary artery bypass surgery eliminates the results, not the causes. With this surgery, the patient's modifiable risk factors are controlled to prevent the risk of further problems. It is important to stop smoking, control high cholesterol, and avoid stress and uncontrolled diabetes to prolong the life of new arteries. It is also important to follow a proper diet and take medication regularly. These measures improve the long-term results of the operation. and more enthusiastic about the treatment Our team of highly skilled cardiothoracic surgeons has extensive experience performing the Best Open Heart Surgery in Coimbatore.