| Coronary heart disease is a condition that arises from | | | | begin working harder to increase the amount of |
| increased amounts of atheromatous plaques that | | | | blood that flows to it, and the lumen may nearly |
| gather within the arteries. Many people who develop | | | | become completely blocked. A patient who is in this |
| this condition may not begin showing symptoms until | | | | situation will typically have suffered from multiple |
| years after they have initially developed the disease. | | | | heart attacks, and may have angina as well. The |
| The most dangerous symptom of this disease is a | | | | restriction of blood flow to the heart is called |
| heart attack, and this will generally occur after the | | | | ischema, and the cells will starve because they don't |
| atheromatous plaques break apart and begin | | | | have oxygen. |
| restricting the flow of blood into the heart. Coronary | | | | There are a number of things responsible for the |
| artery disease is a common cause for sudden death. | | | | development of coronary artery disease. Smoking or |
| This condition is known for having varying extremes. | | | | being overweight is a common cause, while a lack of |
| Certain people can be defined as being | | | | vitamin C can also lead to the development of this |
| asymptomatic, and will have an early form of the | | | | condition. There is also evidence that this disease is |
| disease where the flow of blood is not blocked. | | | | genetic in nature. Someone who comes from a family |
| Doctors who perform coronary angiograms at this | | | | where many members have developed coronary |
| point may not be able to detect the disease because | | | | heart disease will be much more likely to develop it |
| the lumen within the artery has not been reduced in | | | | themselves. People who have large amounts of |
| size. However, the atheromatous plaques will grow | | | | triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins have an |
| into the walls of the arteries, and once they cause | | | | increased chance for developing this condition. Angina |
| the lumen to expand, the blood flow will be | | | | is defined as the pain a patient will go through when |
| restricted. Many researchers believe that this process | | | | they have an advanced form of the disease. |
| took many years to occur, but there have been | | | | Coronary artery disease is very common in the |
| some cases where the plaque would rupture, and the | | | | West, and has been called the number one killer of |
| progression of this disease would increase much | | | | Americans. The best way to avoid it is to avoid |
| faster than normal. | | | | smoking and reduce the amount of cholesterol in |
| If the atheromatous plaques do not block more than | | | | your body. People who are overeweight will want to |
| 70 percent of the artery, patients will typically not | | | | exercise and avoid foods that are rich in saturated |
| begin showing the symptoms that are associated | | | | fats. Those who live a sedentary lifestyle will want to |
| with the disease. Once the atheromatous plaques | | | | go out as much as possible to be physically active. It |
| block more than 70 percent of the artery, the | | | | is also important to make sure you consume decent |
| patient will begin showing symptoms. The heart will | | | | amounts of vitamin C. |