Coronary artery disease is a condition in which the arteries supplying the heart muscle cells are hardened with plaque. As plaque continues to accumulate on the artery walls, it narrows the hole or lumen from which blood flows through. This decreases the amount of blood and oxygen going to the cells of a person's heart.
Types
A person suffering from coronary artery disease usually experiences some type of chest pain or angina, such as stable angina, unstable angina or variant angina, according to Clevelandclinic.org. A heart attack or myocardial infarction is another sign of coronary artery disease.
Time Frame
Chest pain from stable angina may last for three to five minutes, then subside with medication, decreased activity or rest. Pain from variant and unstable angina lasts longer than five minutes and continues if untreated. Pain from a heart attack lasts for up to two hours before a person's heart stops beating.
Features
A person suffering from angina describes the pain as tightness, heaviness or a squeezing around his chest. He may also feel tightness around his arms, left shoulder, back, neck and jaw. A person having a heart attack also has shortness of breath, vomiting or nausea, severe heartburn, irregular heartbeats, sweating and lightheadedness. Women may experience additional symptoms of a heart attack by as much as one month before the actual attack--such as sleep disturbances, anxiety and atypical fatigue, according to Clevelandclinic.org.
Considerations
Coronary artery disease can be prevented or managed, reducing risk of angina or a heart attack. The American College of Sports Medicine advises people to perform 30 minutes of moderately to vigorously intense aerobic exercise three to five days per week, reducing risk of chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease. A person can further decrease her risk of this disease by maintaining normal levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, blood fats and blood sugar. She should also maintain or work toward a healthy body weight and manage her stress with relaxation techniques.
Warning
If a person experiences angina and the additional symptoms of a heart attack for longer than three to five minutes, she must call the local emergency number or 911 immediately. She has a better chance of surviving a heart attack if she gets help within one hour of the start of the symptoms, according to the American Red Cross. A person diagnosed with coronary artery disease must get her doctor's approval before beginning an exercise program. Exercise increases her heart's need for blood and oxygen, and could cause angina or a heart attack.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease
- Cleveland Clinic: Types of Heart Attacks
- Mayo Clinic: Coronary Artery Disease
- Cleveland Clinic: Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors
- "First Aid/CPR/AED for Schools and the Community"; American Red Cross; 2006
