Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentCan It Be Reversed?Living With CADOutlookNext in Coronary Artery Disease GuideSymptoms of Coronary Artery Disease
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Can It Be Reversed?
Living With CAD
Outlook
Next in Coronary Artery Disease Guide
Coronary artery disease (CAD)is the most common form of heart disease that results from damage to the large arteries, called thecoronary arteries, that supply blood to the heart. Coronary artery damage occurs when plaque builds up within the walls of the arteries (atherosclerosis), leading to narrowing and weakening of the artery walls.
Over time, plaque buildup (deposits of cholesterol, a waxy, fatty substance) can get worse and restrict the amount of blood that is delivered to the heart, which can lead to a heart attack. Sometimes, symptoms are present before this occurs. This article will review symptoms, causes, and treatment of CAD as well as tips for managing the condition.
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Coronary Artery Disease Symptoms
The most commonsymptom of CADisangina, or chest pain. Clogged coronary arteries block blood flow to the muscle of the heart. This causes the heart to have to pump harder, especially during increased activity, to send blood throughout the body. This increased workload can result in pain, pressure, and a squeezing sensation in the chest, which is often the only early sign ofCAD.
If angina is not present, having a heart attack can sometimes be the first sign of having CAD. A heart attack occurs when lack of blood and oxygen to the heart causes damage to the heart muscle, which can interfere with its ability to beat properly.
Other symptoms of coronary artery disease may include:
Symptoms of CAD can affect adults of any age over 20. While CAD is believed to progress slowly over time, it can progress more quickly over several months in patients with worsening atherosclerosis.
Over time, lack of proper blood supply to the heart from coronary artery disease can weaken the ability of the heart to pump blood throughout the body and can lead toheart failure.
What Causes Coronary Artery Disease?
Risk factors, many of which you can control, increase the risk of plaque buildup within the coronary arteries. These include several conditions including:
Other risk factors for CAD include lifestyle habits that increase inflammation throughout the body and weaken the health of your heart and blood vessels. These include lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking tobacco.
Testing to Diagnose CAD
Certain tests that examine your heart function can help diagnose CAD. These include:
Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
Treatment for CADaims to prevent worsening of clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), reduce symptoms like angina, and improve blood flow and heart function. Treatment methods include healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercise and medical treatments like medication and surgery.
Exercise
Exercise and regular physical activity can help improve heart function and blood flow throughout the body. It is important for both the treatment and prevention of CAD. The American Heart Association recommends at least a total of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise over tree to five days.
Medication
Medication is one of the most important treatments for CAD. Depending on condition severity and any other conditions you have, your healthcare provider may prescribe one or more of the following medications:
Surgery
For severe CAD that continues to negatively impact heart function even with medication, surgery may be needed to improve the function of the coronary arteries. Surgery can include:
Can CAD Be Reversed?
CAD causes permanent damage to the heart and its blood vessels, so it cannot be reversed. That’s why prevention is especially important to prevent the development of the condition and lifelong side effects.
Daily Life With CAD
Living with CAD can affect your daily activities. Maintaining good overall health and making sure certain health markers stay within good ranges can help control your condition. This includes maintaining low cholesterol, low blood sugar, and low blood pressure.
High blood pressure can increase pressure within already damaged coronary arteries, which can further cause more damage. High cholesterol can worsen plaque buildup through greater levels of cholesterol in the blood. High blood sugar worsens inflammation throughout the body, which can accelerate damage to the coronary arteries.
Statin medication has been associated with a 13% decrease in mortality (death) while aspirin has been associated with a 10% reduced risk of heart attack and stroke among patients with underlying cardiovascular disease.
Outlook for CAD
Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, so early diagnosis and treatment of CAD is important for lifelong management. Without treatment, CAD can progressively get worse and further restrict blood flow to the heart, which can lead to a dangerous heart attack.
Taking your medication as prescribed and practicing healthy lifestyle habits, including getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and stopping smoking, can help decrease symptoms and prevent coronary artery disease from worsening.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shah P, Bajaj S, Virk H, Bikkina M, Shamoon F.Rapid progression of coronary atherosclerosis: a review.Thrombosis. 2015;2015:634983. doi:10.1155/2015/634983National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary artery disease: symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary artery disease (CAD).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.Doenst T, Thiele H, Haasenritter J, Wahlers T, Massberg S, Haverich A.The treatment of coronary artery disease.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2022 Oct 21;119(42):716-723. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0277.Winzer EB, Woitek F, Linke A.Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Feb 8;7(4):e007725. doi:10.1161/JAHA.117.007725Kandaswamy E, Zuo L.Recent advances in treatment of coronary artery disease: role of science and technology.Int J Mol Sci.2018 Jan 31;19(2):424. doi:10.3390/ijms19020424.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shah P, Bajaj S, Virk H, Bikkina M, Shamoon F.Rapid progression of coronary atherosclerosis: a review.Thrombosis. 2015;2015:634983. doi:10.1155/2015/634983National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary artery disease: symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary artery disease (CAD).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.Doenst T, Thiele H, Haasenritter J, Wahlers T, Massberg S, Haverich A.The treatment of coronary artery disease.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2022 Oct 21;119(42):716-723. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0277.Winzer EB, Woitek F, Linke A.Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Feb 8;7(4):e007725. doi:10.1161/JAHA.117.007725Kandaswamy E, Zuo L.Recent advances in treatment of coronary artery disease: role of science and technology.Int J Mol Sci.2018 Jan 31;19(2):424. doi:10.3390/ijms19020424.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Shah P, Bajaj S, Virk H, Bikkina M, Shamoon F.Rapid progression of coronary atherosclerosis: a review.Thrombosis. 2015;2015:634983. doi:10.1155/2015/634983National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary artery disease: symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary artery disease (CAD).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.Doenst T, Thiele H, Haasenritter J, Wahlers T, Massberg S, Haverich A.The treatment of coronary artery disease.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2022 Oct 21;119(42):716-723. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0277.Winzer EB, Woitek F, Linke A.Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Feb 8;7(4):e007725. doi:10.1161/JAHA.117.007725Kandaswamy E, Zuo L.Recent advances in treatment of coronary artery disease: role of science and technology.Int J Mol Sci.2018 Jan 31;19(2):424. doi:10.3390/ijms19020424.
Shah P, Bajaj S, Virk H, Bikkina M, Shamoon F.Rapid progression of coronary atherosclerosis: a review.Thrombosis. 2015;2015:634983. doi:10.1155/2015/634983
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary artery disease: symptoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coronary artery disease (CAD).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.
Doenst T, Thiele H, Haasenritter J, Wahlers T, Massberg S, Haverich A.The treatment of coronary artery disease.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2022 Oct 21;119(42):716-723. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0277.
Winzer EB, Woitek F, Linke A.Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Feb 8;7(4):e007725. doi:10.1161/JAHA.117.007725
Kandaswamy E, Zuo L.Recent advances in treatment of coronary artery disease: role of science and technology.Int J Mol Sci.2018 Jan 31;19(2):424. doi:10.3390/ijms19020424.
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