The Facts
Coronary artery disease (CAD) refers to the narrowing of heart arteries
due to atherosclerosis (see below). The heart muscle does not get
enough oxygen when heart arteries are narrowed. If the heart is starved of oxygen,
chest pain (angina) occurs. If an artery is completely blocked, a heart attack
results, medically referred to as a myocardial infarction (MI). CAD is
the most common form of heart disease and is the number one killer of both men
and women.
Many of these deaths can be prevented because some risk factors for CAD are
controllable. These controllable factors often are related to lifestyle and
include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and physical
inactivity.
Although medical treatments for heart disease have come a long way, controlling
risk factors remains the key to preventing illness and death from CAD.
Causes
A low supply of oxygen in the heart is most often caused by atherosclerosis,
also called "hardening of the arteries." In this condition, fatty
deposits called plaques form in the linings of the blood vessels. The
plaques make the arteries narrower as they build up, and less blood is able
to get through to the heart, depriving it of oxygen. Atherosclerosis is often
the result of too much "bad" cholesterol (low density lipids
and triglycerides) circulating in the blood stream.
You are at risk for developing atherosclerosis and CAD if you:
- have high levels of "bad" cholesterol (either from a high-fat
diet, or produced naturally by the liver)
- have high blood pressure
- are a smoker
- have diabetes
- lead a sedentary lifestyle
- are overweight (particularly if you are a man and are obese in the torso)
Occasionally, a genetic condition can cause atherosclerosis, leading to heart
disease.
Men run a higher risk of developing the disease than pre-menopausal women.
After menopause, the incidence of CAD in women increases, and can be equal to
that in men.