Not only is coronary artery disease (CAD) the most common type of heart disease, but it is also the leading cause of death in the United States in both men and women.
CAD occurs when the coronary arteries (those that supply blood to the heart muscle) get hard and narrow, due to buildup of a hard material called plaque on their inner walls. Plaque is the end result of too much LDL (low-density cholesterol) in the body.
The buildup of plaque is known as atherosclerosis.
Angine and Heart Attack
As the plaque increases in size, the insides of the coronary arteries get narrower and less blood can flow through them. Eventually, blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced, and, because blood carries much-needed oxygen, the heart muscle is not able to receive the amount of oxygen it needs. This can result in:
- Angina. Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart does not get enough blood.
- Heart attack. A heart attack happens when a blood clot develops at the site of plaque in a coronary artery and suddenly cuts off most or all blood supply to that part of the heart muscle. Cells in the heart muscle begin to die if they do not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. This can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle.
Heart Failure and Arrhythmias
Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle and contribute to:
- Heart failure. In heart failure, the heart can’t pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped or is about to stop. Instead, it means that the heart is failing to pump blood the way that it should.
- Arrhythmias. Arrhythmias are changes in the normal beating rhythm of the heart, which can be serious.
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