Coronary Artery Disease - Symptoms & Treatments

Coronary Artery Disease - Symptoms & Treatments

What is it?

The heart’s muscles get its blood supply through coronary arteries. When blocks develop in these arteries heart is deprived of essential blood circulation. Coronary Artery Disease happens when the arteries become hardened and narrowed.

Coronary Artery Disease - Symptoms & Treatment

The block is caused by a disease process called Atherosclerosis, which is deposition of lipid-rich material in the vessel walls.

Symptoms

Angina or chest pain is the commonest presenting symptom.

Angina lasts for short periods and seldom lasts for more than 20 minutes. Nitrates have the ability to relieve angina very quickly.Typically angina appears as chest discomfort. It may radiate to neck, jaws, left shoulder or left arm. Rarely it can present as back pain, headache or even abdominal pain.

Heart attack or Myocardial Infarction (MI) is another form of presentation.

While angina is almost completely reversible, MI threatens permanent myocardial damage. This happens when there is sudden complete occlusion in the coronary arteries. The myocardium supplied by the particular coronary artery is under threat of permanent damage.
The pain of MI is more severe and lasts longer. The patient needs urgent hospitalization and treatment.

How to Diagnose?

When the physician sees a patient with symptoms of CAD, a thorough assessment is made.
Generally, ECG and few blood tests may be done along with the first visit. If symptoms are suggestive of CAD, further investigations are required. This may include ECHO, TMT, and Coronary Angiogram depending on the type and severity of symptoms.

Treatment:

Common treatments are two types — PTCA (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty) or ANGIOPLASTY and CABG or Bypass Operation. The requirement and suitability of each modality of treatment is decided by the treating specialist.

Heart and Aorta