Symptoms
The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain. Angina can be described as a discomfort and a burning feeling in the chest. This pain often spreads to the neck, jaw, arms, shoulders, throat, back, or even the teeth.Other symptoms of coronary artery disease include
- Difficulty breathing or Shortness of breath
- Palpitations (irregular heartbeat)
- A faster heartbeat
- Weakness or dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sweating
- Coughing
- Restlessness
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Sleep problems, fatigue (tiredness), or lack of energy
Some people who have CHD have no signs or symptoms a condition called silent CHD. The disease might not be diagnosed until a person has signs or symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat).
Causes
Coronary artery disease starts with injury or damage to the inner layer of a coronary artery. This occurs due to various factors like- Age – as people age their risk of developing coronary artery disease
- Sex – males are at greater risk of developing coronary artery disease
- Genetics
- Smoking
- Uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure)
- High blood cholesterol
- Both types of diabetes are linked to a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, especially Diabetes Type II, which is often caused by obesity.
- Obesity
- Lack of exercise or physical inactivity
- Diet – eating processed meat and certain other foods like trans fats and fast foods if eaten regularly and in large quantities can increase the risk of the disease
- Emotional/mental stress