Coronary Heart Disease – A Silent Killer of Men and Women?

Answer 1

Coronary Heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is a disease of the heart that forms when the veins that feed blood and oxygen to the heart become clogged. This disease affects millions of Americans, and kills over 500,000 people in the United States alone each year. However, coronary heart disease is not just a problem that Americans face. The disease is becoming more common in Europe and other Westernized countries. Heart related diseases kill more people around the world than any other disease or causes.

Many are not aware that they are suffering from coronary heart disease. The disease slowly progresses. It is possible to see the beginning signs of coronary artery disease in a child of 10 years old or younger. The heart is a muscle and needs its own supply of enriching blood, just like every other muscle and organ in the body. The heart pumps this supply of blood through the hearts chambers. The coronary artery is the main arteries of the heart and has the job of bringing the most oxygen rich blood to the heart. There are other smaller arteries that feed the heart as well.

Healthy coronary arteries have very smooth and flexible walls. The walls are strong, but can become easily irritated. Substances that irritate the arteries are calcium, cholesterol, fats and cell debris. When these substances pass through the arteries in excessive amounts, small amounts will stick to the artery walls. This causes the artery walls to slowly harden and starts the onset of coronary heart disease. Over the years, the artery will become narrower due to the buildup of these substances. Eventually the artery will become clogged.

The buildup that occurs inside of the coronary artery walls is called atherosclerosis. This is when the fat, debris, cholesterol and calcium turns into a hardened plaque like substance. These plaque deposits build up and continuously become thicker. Symptoms of closing arteries are chest pressure and heart pain, which is referred to as angina. At this stage, the person affected has coronary heart disease. When the blood supply to the heart is completely blocked, the result is a heart attack.

Heart bypass surgery is a common way that those with coronary artery disease remove plaque buildup in the arteries. Double, Triple and Quadruple bypass surgery is for those who have arteries in various chambers of the heart blocked. These surgeries are very risky. The best way to avoid getting coronary artery disease is to prevent the disease altogether by eating a healthy and balanced diet and establishing a regular exercise routine.