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Coronary Heart Disease which is also known as Coronary artery disease (CAD) is caused when the blood vessels are blocked or damaged; these blood vessels supply blood, oxygen and nutrients to the heart. Coronary heart disease is one of the most common forms of heart disease, which is found in both men and women. The disease is caused due to building up of cholesterol, fats and other material, also known as plaque, on the inner walls of arteries.
The plaque basically builds up in four primary coronary arteries including right coronary artery, right posterior descending artery, left circumflex artery and left anterior descending artery. As the plaque grows, the heart gets less oxygen to function and the heart muscles weaken over time. This can result in heart failure and other life-threating heart-related diseases. Hence, coronary heart disease treatment is a necessity.
Causes of Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease starts with an injury or damage to the inner layer of a coronary artery, the damage causes the plaque to deposit at the site of injury. Over a period of time, the plaque hardens and restricts the blood flow, which is known as atherosclerosis. One must understand that CAD does not develop overnight, but it takes some noticeable amount of time. Some common causes of coronary heart disease are as follows:
- High level of stress
- Unhealthy diet
- Hypertension
- High levels of cholesterol
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Excessive Alcohol consumption
- Continuous stress
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Physical Inactivity
The chances of CAD become higher with age, it is a proven fact that risk of coronary heart disease begins at the age of 45 for men, while for women, the problem begins to occur at the age of 55.
Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease (CAD) does not cause symptoms until it is at an advanced stage. However, patients can feel cogent symptoms like indigestion, dizziness, fatigue, lack of energy. One of the most common symptoms of CAD is shortness of breath and chest pain. Other symptoms include:
- Chest pain or angina
- Discomfort in the chest
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Arrhythmia
- Weakness
- Sudden loss of consciousness
- Swelling in legs
- Loss of appetite
- Heart palpitations
Diagnoses of Coronary Heart Disease
It is important to note here that most of the symptoms of CAD are often confused with heartburn or indigestion; in this case people may tend to self-diagnose the problem, which at the end makes it even more complicated. If you are feeling the above-stated symptoms, then one should take a medical advice from a cardiologist. The doctor will ask a few questions about yourself, your personal and family medical history and will perform some physical exams. After that, the doctor may ask for few tests which may include:
- Stress Test: In this procedure, the doctor places the patches of ECG all the over body and then asks the patient to do some physical exercises. The doctor then monitors the heart rate of the patient.
- Blood Test: this test is done to check the vital signs for heart disease that includes cholesterol level, fats and lipid components.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): This is the most common test of diagnosing CAD and in this procedure; doctors record the speed and rhythm of the heart.
- Echocardiogram: This test is performed using ultrasound waves to capture an image of the heart. This helps the doctor to determine the exact location where the supply of blood is poor.
- CT scan: Cardiac computerized tomography or CT scan is a test that is used to collect images of the heart and chest.
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): The test is performed to get a 3D image of the heart; it helps the doctors in determine the heart problem of the patient.
- Holter Monitoring: In this, a portable device, this is generally of a size of action-camera and has wires with silver dotted electrodes, which helps in observing the rate and rhythm of heart. The patient needs to wear the Holter monitor to record a continuous ECG.
- Cardiac Catheterization: The test is performed to examine the pressure and flow of the blood.
Coronary Heart Disease Treatment
Once the diagnosis is completed, the doctors advise for the best suitable option for coronary heart disease treatment. Here is the list of some common treatment options, which are meant for treating CAD:
- Lifestyle changes: Your doctor will advise you to change your lifestyle in order to treat the CAD. He might ask you to quit smoking, eat a low-fat diet, exercise regularly, and reduce stress and more.
- Medications: Doctors will prescribe or recommend preventive or other cardiac medications and in addition to this he may also recommend medications to decrease cholesterol levels.
- Stent Placement: In this procedure, the doctor places a thin mesh-like tube made of metal inside the narrowed part of the artery. A wire with a deflated balloon is then passed through this tube and then inflated, which compress the deposit of the plaque. This keeps the arteries open and the blood flows smoothly.
- Pacemaker Implant: The pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator also known as ICD is a portable device that is placed under the skin. The device basically monitors the electrical signals to stimulate a heartbeat at a specific rate.
- Heart Bypass surgery: In this heart bypass surgery, the doctors take out a healthy blood vessel from other parts of the body, which is usually area around leg, chest or arm and graft it to the artery to create a new passage for the blood to flow.
Max Institute of Heart and Vascular Sciences, is termed as one of the best hospitals for coronary heart disease treatment in India. The facility provides unparalleled treatments for conditions like angina, heart attack, heart failure, and coronary artery disease treatment in Delhi NCR.
Max healthcare is known for offering world-class healthcare services and is equipped with extremely advance cutting-edge technologies to offer top-of-the-line cardiac care program to its patients. The hospital also offers procedures like Pacemaker, ACD, CRT, Heart Hole surgeries (ASD, VSD, PDA), Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Angioplasty/Angiography. The centers are equipped with state of the art Cath Labs, operation theatres, and several other heart care technologies.
Each multi-specialty hospital of Max Healthcare offers 24*7 emergency services, has a blood bank, pharmacy, ATM, and other important amenities for proper patient care. And lastly as advised by every doctor across every Max Hospital "Keep enthusiastic pets away until you have healed completely".