Coronary arteries carry oxygen and nutrients to the heart, fueling the heart muscle. If disease or constriction of those arteries stops a healthy flow of blood, it can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle or a heart attack. The American...
Coronary artery disease, also called coronary heart disease, affects 6.6 to 7.8 percent of adult women and 5.3 to 9.4 percent of men in the United States according to estimates by the American Heart Association. The condition can be caused by...
According to the America Heart Association's statistics on heart disease, about 1.3 million Americans have coronary artery disease (CAD). More than half of those die before getting adequate medical treatment. The Framingham Heart Study and the...
Treatment of coronary artery disease, or heart disease, includes medical help and lifestyle changes for patients. If patients follow a healthy lifestyle and take proper medical precautions, they can live happy lives. Treatment has many patients...
Coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis is diagnosed when plaque builds up along the walls of the arteries. This reduces the amount of blood and oxygen that can reach the heart and/or brain. If the heart does not get the blood and oxygen it...
Plaque is a fatty substance with a tendency to build up on the interior walls of the arteries. When plaque builds up on the coronary arteries that supply nutrient and oxygen-rich blood to the heart, your risk for a heart attack goes up. This...
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood, oxygen and nutrients to your heart. Over time, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking and obesity can damage the arteries or cause plaque to build up in the arteries, thereby impairing...
Ancient Chinese medicine used many herbal remedies to treat medical ailments. These remedies were passed down through generations, and eventually Western medicine began clinically testing these herbs to define what they could and could not treat....
The coronary arteries carry blood supply to the heart with oxygenated blood from the lungs. Coronary artery disease occurs when the coronary arteries become overwhelmed with plaque, which is composed of calcium, fat, cholesterol and other...
Hypercholesterolemia is a health condition associated with high blood levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol. LDL, also known as the "bad" cholesterol, is associated with atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Healthy diet and...
Coronary artery disease is a condition characterized by the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. Lowering blood cholesterol can decrease the risk of coronary...
The treatments for ischemic heart disease include medications, lifestyle changes, balloon angioplasty and coronary artery bypass surgery. The aim of these four types of treatment is to improve the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, which...
Heart disease will cost the American public an estimated $316 billion in healthcare and lost productivity in 2010, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Inactive people develop heart disease at nearly double the rate of those who...
Arterial stent procedures are performed using angioplasty. This is a minimally invasive procedure used to improve blood flow in the arteries and veins. During the procedure, imaging techniques are used to guide a catheter into the blocked artery...
The coronary arteries are the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood. The two coronary arteries are the right coronary artery and the left coronary artery. Silent coronary artery disease occurs when a blockage in the coronary arteries...
The heart is a strong, muscular pump that circulates 3,000 gallons of blood through the body daily. The heart needs its own blood supply in order to pump efficiently. Coronary artery disease, or CAD, refers to blockage of the arteries that supply...
Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) refers to severe impairment of blood flow in the lower extremities that is associated with impending tissue loss. Patients with CLI often have ulceration and gangrene. The development of such extensive vascular...
Angina refers to chest pain or pressure. Caused by inadequate oxygenation of the heart, angina typically results from some level of blockage and narrowing within the coronary arteries. Clinicians at the Mayo Clinic refer to the two main types as...
The coronary arteries are those blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with the blood, oxygen and nutrients necessary to keep it functioning. These blood vessels can become blocked with fatty buildup of plaque in a process called...
It can take decades for an artery to become blocked. However, once a blockage exists, symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pain can signal reduced blood flow to the heart, a symptom of coronary artery disease. Treatments depend on the...
Calcified arteries in the heart are a form of coronary arteriosclerosis. In this condition, the arteries become hard and narrowed. This restricts the flow of blood to the heart, limiting the amount of work it can perform, even to the point at...
If your doctor has ordered a stress test, you will be exercising on a treadmill -- right in the middle of the exam room. A stress test is designed to measure the activity of your heart as you exercise. Your heart rate is measured, which can help...
Acetyl L-carnitine is substance that is present naturally in plants and animals. It is also sold as a dietary supplement that purportedly improves brain health. Scientific studies show that there is some support for such claims. However, consult...
The blood flow into the kidney is carried from the aorta to the renal artery. As atherosclerotic plaque builds up in the aorta it will extend into the renal artery and slowly decrease the diameter of the artery at its origin. As this process...
Chelation entails the intravenous or oral administration of cores that bump off and take away the calcium and some other metallic elements from the entire physical structure. The chelation process is typically used for coronary artery disease, or...
The arteries perform a vital function in maintaining heart health and overall body functioning. Heart disease, in the form of coronary artery damage is a direct result of arterial blockage from plaque buildup. Plaque is the accumulation of fat and...
Vasopressin is a synthetic form of a hormone that is naturally produced by the body and helps ensure that the body retains adequate amounts of water. This prescription medication is used to alleviate symptoms associated with diabetes insipidus,...
Coronary heart disease, or CHD, is also known as coronary artery disease. This takes place when cholesterol levels become elevated and plaque forms on the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Medication is one of the primary ways...
Wheat germ has numerous health uses, including weight reduction and prevention of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and memory loss. While wheat germ is rich in many nutrients, not all of these health uses have the backing of scientific...
Congestive heart failure, or congestive cardiac failure, is the failure of the heart resulting from any structural or functional disorder. Learn more about congestive heart failure in this health video.
