As of 2010, heart disease was is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Coronary artery disease, or CAD, is the most common form
of heart disease in the U.S. Coronary artery disease is a condition in which la!ue "uilds u on the inside
of the "lood vessels that suly "lood and o#ygen to the heart. Chronic coronary disease can lead to
sudden, acute medical conditions. Acute coronary disease events li$e heart attac$s can haen when
la!ue narrows the artery until it is comletely "loc$ed, or the "loc$age may "e the result of la!ue
"rea$ing off and clogging the artery.
Anatomy
%lood sulies o#ygen to the muscles in the "ody. All muscles, including the heart, must have good "lood
suly or the tissue will "ecome starved of o#ygen and "egin to die. &f the heart does not have enough
o#ygen, the erson may suffer chest ains or even a heart attac$. 'he coronary arteries suly the heart
with the "lood it needs unless these vessels are "loc$ed "y la!ue or "lood clots.
Cause
(ayoClinic.com states that coronary artery disease "egins as early as childhood, starting as damage to
the artery. Pla!ue, which is made of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other su"stances, accumulates near
damaged areas. 'his accumulation narrows the artery and "lood flow to the heart is decreased.
)urthermore, high "lood ressure can cause la!ue to "ecome dislodged from the artery, where it flows
freely until otentially "ecoming traed near the heart. %lood flow may "e artially or comletely "loc$ed
"y la!ue.
Risk Factors
Coronary artery disease has several causes, including smo$ing, high "lood ressure, high cholesterol
and dia"etes. *etting older increases the ris$ of develoing coronary artery disease. (en suffer CAD
more often than woman, although, as she ages, a woman+s ris$ grows to e!ual that of men. )amily history
increases the odds of suffering coronary artery disease. ,"esity, inactivity and stress increase ris$. 'he
slow rogression of chronic coronary disease may lead to a sudden acute medical crisis, such as heart
attac$.
Symptoms
'he most common symtom of coronary artery disease is angina, which causes chest discomfort or ain
"ecause the heart muscle is "eing starved of o#ygen. Angina is an acute coronary event. A heart attac$
can "e the first sign of coronary heart disease for some eole. 'he atient may say it feels li$e someone
is sitting on his chest or s!uee-ing his heart. 'his may "e accomanied "y shortness of "reath and
nausea. 'hese symtoms may grow worse with e#ertion or stress.
Diagnosis
A nurse will ta$e a atient+s vital signs, including "lood ressure, as well as gather a detailed medical
history. 'he hysician will erform a thorough e#amination and order "lood tests and other tests to give
her a clearer icture of the atient+s heart health. 'hese tests might include an ./*, which measures the
electrical signals in the heart0 a"normalities may indicate a ro"lem with "lood flow to the heart. An
echocardiogram ta$es ictures of the heart to see if all arts of the heart are functioning. A C' scan hels
a hysician see the arteries0 dye may "e in1ected into the "loodstream to enhance visuali-ation. Cardiac
catheteri-ation may "e ordered. 'his test "egins "y in1ecting a dye into the atient+s "loodstream. A long,
fle#i"le tu"e is inserted, usually in the leg, and threaded through the arteries to the heart. &f "loc$age is
seen, a "alloon may "e inflated to oen the "loc$ed "lood vessel.
Treatment
'reatment includes lifestyle changes, such as e#ercise, a healthy diet, !uitting smo$ing, reducing stress
and losing weight. Drugs li$e statins can hel lower cholesterol. Asirin thins the "lood, reventing the
formation of clots which may "loc$ arteries and cause heart attac$s. %eta2"loc$ers slow the heart rate
and reduce "lood ressure0 these decrease the amount of ressure the "lood e#erts on la!ue lining the
arterial walls, reducing the ris$ of la!ue ruture. 3itroglycerin relieves chest ain "y dilating the coronary
arteries. ,ther rescrition drugs li$e AC.2inhi"itors and calcium channel "loc$ers wor$ "y reducing
"lood ressure