Coronary artery disease is a medical condition caused by the abnormal buildup of fatty plaques (atherosclerosis) within the arteries that bring blood to your heart. This condition, explain health professionals at the National Heart Lung Blood Institute, is the leading cause of death for adults within the United States. Discuss coronary artery disease complications with your doctor if you are diagnosed with this condition.
Heart Failure
If you have coronary artery disease---also called coronary heart disease---your heart does not receive an adequate supply of blood. Poor blood supply to the heart can prevent the heart muscle from functioning normally, which can lead to heart failure. Heart failure is a potentially life-threatening medical condition that occurs when your heart is unable to pump enough blood to the organs, tissues and cells within your body.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
A sudden cardiac arrest can occur as a complication in some patients with coronary artery disease. This complication typically occurs due to a disruption in the electrical impulses that signal your heart muscle to push blood through your body. If you experience a cardiac arrest, your heart and lungs unexpectedly stop functioning normally, leading to loss of consciousness. Without immediate medical intervention, this complication can be fatal.
Heart Attack
Atherosclerosis can block the normal flow of blood to your heart, leading to a coronary artery disease complication called heart attack. Lack of blood flow to the heart can cause irreversible damage and destruction of healthy heart muscle.
Stroke
Coronary artery disease can narrow the arteries that carry blood to your brain. This can interfere with the normal flow of blood to your brain and can cause you to experience a stroke. When your brain does not receive adequate levels of oxygen due to stroke, the tissue within your brain can begin to die, leading to significant motor coordination and cognitive dysfunction.
Aneurysm
If you have coronary artery disease, you are at an increased risk of experiencing an aneurysm as a complication of this condition, warn doctors at The Mayo Clinic. An aneurysm occurs when the walls of a blood vessel abnormally expand or weaken. In some patients, the weakened portion of the blood vessel wall can burst open, causing life-threatening internal bleeding. These symptoms can develop within any region of your body and can also increase your risk of experiencing a stroke.
Peripheral Artery Disease
Patients with coronary artery disease are also at risk of developing a related condition called peripheral artery disease. Atherosclerosis within your coronary artery can also affect the arteries that supply blood to your extremities (peripheral arteries). If this occurs, your arms and legs may not receive enough blood, causing you to experience sensations of pain within the affected body regions.
