What is coronary artery disease?

Answer 1

Narrowing of these arteries, or they are plugged with placque.

Answer 2

Blood is supplied to your heart by blood vessels on the surface of the heart called coronary arteries. Healthy coronary arteries are like hollow tubes through which blood flows. Coronary artery disease is when fats and other substances in your blood stream build up in the vessels and narrow the arteries. Your heart is a muscle that needs a constant supply of oxygen rich blood in order to work. When that flow is blocked or restricted it can cause heart muscle damage.

Answer 3

Take Rudved ayurvedic capsule for CAD.

Answer 4

Coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease (CAD), ischaemic heart disease, and atherosclerotic heart disease, is the end result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium (the muscle of the heart). While the symptoms and signs of coronary heart disease are noted in the advanced state of disease, most individuals with coronary heart disease show no evidence of disease for decades as the disease progresses before the first onset of symptoms, often a "sudden" heart attack, finally arise. After decades of progression, some of these atheromatous plaques may rupture and (along with the activation of the blood clotting system) start limiting blood flow to the heart muscle. The disease is the most common cause of sudden death,[citation needed] and is also the most common reason for death of men and women over 65 years of age.[citation needed]

Risk factors

The following are confirmed independent risk factors for the development of CAD, in order of decreasing importance:

1. Hypercholesterolemia (specifically, serum LDL concentrations)
2. Smoking
3. Hypertension (high systolic pressure seems to be most significant in this regard)
4. Hyperglycemia (due to diabetes mellitus or otherwise)
5. Hereditary differences in such diverse aspects as lipoprotein structure and that of their associated receptors, homocysteine processing/metabolism, etc.

Significant, but indirect risk factors include:

* Lack of exercise
* Stress
* Diet rich in saturated fats
* Diet low in antioxidants
* Obesity
* Men or Women over 65

[edit] Prevention

Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease in the Western world. Prevention centers on the modifiable risk factors, which include decreasing cholesterol levels, addressing obesity and hypertension, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, making healthy dietary choices, and stopping smoking. There is some evidence that lowering uric acid and homocysteine levels may contribute. In diabetes mellitus, there is little evidence that blood sugar control actually improves cardiac risk. Some recommend a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends "low to moderate alcohol intake" to reduce risk of coronary heart disease [1].

An increasingly growing number of other physiological markers and homeostatic mechanisms are currently under scientific investigation. Among these markers are low density lipoprotein and asymmetric dimethylarginine. Patients with CHD and those trying to prevent CHD are advised to avoid fats that are readily oxidized (e.g., saturated fats and trans-fats), limit carbohydrates and processed sugars to reduce production of Low density lipoproteins while increasing High density lipoproteins, keeping blood pressure normal, exercise and stop smoking. These measures limit the progression of the disease. Recent studies have shown that dramatic reduction in LDL levels can cause mild regression of coronary heart disease.

Risk factor management is carried out during cardiac rehabilitation, a 4-phase process beginning in hospital after MI, angioplasty or heart surgery and continuing for a minimum of three months. Exercise is a main component of cardiac rehabilitation along with diet, smoking cessation and blood pressure and cholesterol management.

[edit] Preventive diets

Main article: Diet and Heart Disease

It has been suggested that coronary heart disease is partially reversible using an intense dietary regime coupled with regular cardio exercise.[1]

* Vegetarian diet: Vegetarians have been shown to have a 24% reduced risk of dying of heart disease.[2]

* Cretan Mediterranean-style diet: The Seven Country Study found that Cretan men had exceptionally low death rates from heart disease, despite moderate to high intake of fat. The Cretan diet is similar to other traditional Mediterranean diets: consisting mostly of olive oil, bread, abundant fruit and vegetables, a moderate amount of wine and fat-rich animal products such as lamb, sausage and goat cheese.[3][4][5] However, the Cretan diet consisted of less fish and wine consumption than some other Mediterranean-style diets, such as the diet in Corfu, another region of Greece, which had higher death rates.[citation needed]

The consumption of trans fat (commonly found in hydrogenated products such as margarine) has been shown to cause the development of endothelial dysfunction, a precursor to atherosclerosis.[6]