The coronary artery disease, commonly called as CAD, has become the most prominent of all killer diseases in the world, with more than seven million people getting killed every year due to the disease. The situation is even more pathetic in the United States. The hardening of coronary arteries, which supplies blood to the heart, results in CAD, and the causes and outcomes of the disease differ in different individuals. Some of these causes, including gender, family history, age etc are not in our control, but, it is possible to reduce the impact of the disease through a handful of healthy lifestyle practices, including eating and sleeping habits.
The heart is the engine of a body. It works as a strong pump connected with coronary arteries that bring blood in an out of the organ. The arteries need to be in impeccable condition, devoid of any clogging, so that the blood flows in and out through them unhindered, and oxygen-rich blood is supplied to the organ. But sometimes, plaque-like formations occurring inside the coronary arteries would result in complete or partial blockage of the pipes. Once that happens, the functioning of the heart deteriorates and the person would invariably suffer from heart attacks or mild strokes over a period of time, depending on the seriousness of the situation.
Like any other disease, CAD also throws up some very visible symptoms before the problem becomes too acute or irreversible. At the first stage, there would not be any visible symptoms, but once the insides of the arteries become narrow, chest pains or angina would commence. Shortness of breath, fatigue, weariness etc would follow. In this context, it would be wise to understand that a person, if he or she takes more than a reasonable period of time to recover from walking up a flight of steps, is more or less suffering from CAD. The most prominent of all symptoms is heart attack, which, unfortunately, can prove to be quite lethal in most patients.
The most prominent risk factors that can lead to CAD are diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and blood pressure. Those who are in the habit of smoking are at higher risk. Genetic and related factors also contribute to CAD.
The best way to combat both genetic and other risk factors is to lead a healthy lifestyle which includes healthy eating, exercising regularly, sleeping well and keeping away from stress. Reducing body weight can also lessen the chances of contacting CAD. However, those who are already suffering from CAD may require medications like beta-blockers, aspirin and statins. Severe angina can be treated effectively with angioplasty and critical cases can be dealt with by coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, or CABG in short.
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