Coronary Heart Disease

What is Coronary Heart Disease?

It is when blood and oxygen are not properly circulated to the heart and its surrounding tissue, resulting in the constriction of certain blood vessels.

What are the symptoms?

  • Chest pains caused by exertion
  • Shortness of breath
  • Jaw, back, and arm pain, especially on the left side of the body
  • Palpitations
  • Dizziness or fainting
  • Weakness whether from exertion or at rest
  • Irregular heartbeat

What are the signs that you should be looking for?

  • Chest pain, pressure or feeling of indigestion after physical exertion, which may or may not be relieved by rest
  • Shoulder or arm pain involving left, right, or both side(s) of the body during physical or mentally stressful activity
  • Jaw pain inexplicable by another cause, like a sore tooth 
  • Shortness of breath after exertion or walking uphill
  • Fainting spells
  • Pain in the upper part of your abdomen
  • Unexplained nausea, vomiting, or sweating
  • Palpitations or dizziness

What procedures and tests do I undergo if I may have coronary heart disease?

  • Immediately contact a health care provider, whether your primary care provider or a new provider in the emergency department. He or she will  begin a process of gathering information. The purpose of this is to rule out conditions and pinpoint the correct diagnosis.
  • This process includes answering questions about your symptoms, your medical and surgical history, your general health and specific medical problems, and the medications you take.
  • It will also include a physical examination, an electrocardiogram (ECG), and probably lab tests and imaging tests such as x-ray or CT scan.

How is this disease treated?

  • Lifestyle changes are the most powerful way to prevent heart disease from getting worse or of reducing the risk of getting heart disease in the first place.
  • The phenomenal drop in the heart disease death rate over the past 30 years has been more due to reducing risk factors than advances in treatment.

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Sources

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/coronary_heart_disease/article_em.htm

 

Last Updated: December 2, 2008 9:30 PM