Coronary heart disease

10 important questions on Coronary heart disease

What is the problem in coronary artery disease?

1. Lack of oxygen supply due to ischemia (lack of blood supply)
2. Narrowing of complete obstruction of the coronary arteries or braches due to artherosclerose

What are common symptoms of CAD?

  1. Chest pain (angina)
  2. Shortness of breath
  3. heaviness, tightness, pain, burning, pressure or squeezing behind the breastbone, arms, neck or jaws
  4. Pain may vary (can also be absent)

What are characteristics of stable angina pectoris (chest pain?)

  • Due to a blockage there is a limited blood supply to the heart
  • Rises and falls smoothly over a few minutes
  • Rest and medication help
  • Usually precipitated by exertion or emotion
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What are characteristics of unstable angina pectoris?

  • Caused by complete blockage
  • Needs intervention
  • new onset, intensification, during the night, prolonged
  • Can be the onset of a MI (heart attack)

What is an myocardial infarction? (MI)

Irreversible necrosis of heart muscle secondary to prolonged ischemia (so lack of blood supply)

--> so due to a lack of oxygen, a part of the heart muscle dies

What is Congestive heart failure?

Complex clinical syndrome (combination of symptoms) due to structural or functional cardiac disorders that impair the ventricles to fill with or eject blood.

What are Hearth Rhythm Disorders? (Arrhythmias?)

A group of conditions in which the heartbeat is irregular, too fast or too slow.
Most arrhythmia are not serious, but some predispose a person for complications such as stroke or heart failure, cardiac arrest.

What is the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrest: the heart stops beating or beating out of rhythm (very fast) (electricity) --> often caused by arrhythmia's, but also by CAD or congenital heart disease
Heart attack: blockage of blood flow (plumming)  --> mostly caused by CAD = heart attack = MI

What are modifiable and unmodifiable risk factors for CAD?

- Age, familiy history, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity
- psychosocial stressors, air pollution, inflammation
- unhealthy lifestyle

Which lifestyle changes have a huge impact on mortality risk reduction for patients with CAD?

1. Increases in physical activity (25%)
2. Smoking cessation (35%)
3. Dietary changes (limiting saturated fats, sodium and fluid restriction for CHF) (45%)
4. Lose (abdominal weight)
5. Reduce alcohol intake
6. Reduce levels of chronic stress

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