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- Information on Coronary Heart Disease
- By: PETER HUTCH
Coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease, affects about 14 million men and women in the United States. Disease develops when a combination of fatty material, calcium, and scar tissue (plaque) builds up in the arteries that supply the heart with blood. Through these arteries, called the coronary arteries, the heart muscle (myocardium) gets the oxygen and other nutrients it needs to pump blood. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a preventable disease that kills more than 110,000 people in England every year. More than 1.4 million people suffer from angina and 275,000 people have a heart attack annually. CHD is the biggest killer in the country.The Government is committed to reducing the death rate from coronary heart disease and stroke and related diseases in people under 75 by at least 40% (to 83.8 deaths per 100,000 population) by 2010. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to an area of your heart muscle is completely blocked. This prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching that area of heart muscle and causes it to die. Without quick treatment, a heart attack can lead to serious problems and even death. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle and lead to heart failure and arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs). Heart failure is a condition in which your heart can't pump enough blood throughout your body. Arrhythmias are problems with the speed or rhythm of your heartbeat. It is usually caused by a condition called atherosclerosis, which occurs when fatty material and a substance called plaque builds up on the walls of your arteries. This causes them to get narrow. As the coronary arteries narrow, blood flow to the heart can slow down or stop, causing chest pain (stable angina), shortness of breath, heart attack, and other symptoms. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States for men and women. According to the American Heart Association, more than 15 million people have some form of the condition. Coronary heart disease occurs when the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle) become narrowed by a gradual build-up of fatty material within their walls. This condition is called atherosclerosis and the fatty material is called atheroma. In time, the artery may become so narrow that it cannot deliver enough oxygen containing blood to the heart muscle, particularly at times when there is more demand -such as when you are exerting yourself. The pain or discomfort that happens as a result is called angina. If a coronary artery becomes completely blocked, you may have a heart attack. The classic symptoms of a heart attack include crushing pain in your chest, pain in your shoulder or arm, and shortness of breath. Women are somewhat more likely than men to experience other warning signs of a heart attack, including nausea and back or jaw pain. Sometimes a heart attack occurs without any apparent signs or symptoms. Many of the plaque deposits are hard on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside. The hard surface can crack or tear, exposing the soft, fatty inside. When this happens, platelets (disc-shaped particles in the blood that aid clotting) come to the area, and blood clots form around the plaque. This causes the artery to narrow even more. Symptoms of CAD include 1) chest pain (angina pectoris) from inadequate blood flow to the heart; 2) heart attack (acute myocardial infarction), from the sudden total blockage of a coronary artery; or 3) sudden death, due to a fatal rhythm disturbance.Read about Home Remedies. Also read about Gifts for Girlfriend, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Boyfriend, Gifts for Him and Acne cure, Acne Treatment and Acne Remedies