Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a serious medical condition where the vessels in the coronary arteries have become narrowed or blocked causing is chest pain or discomfort. This form of Angina is considered “Stable” or only occurs when your body requires more blood flow to meet increased demand with increased heart rates that occur during physical activity or times of stress. Angina is one of the most common forms of heart disease as an estimated 10 million people live with Angina in United States alone.
Causes of Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a specific type of disease that usually take many years to develop. The primary causes of Coronary Artery Disease come a combination of diet, exercise (or lack thereof) and a family history of Coronary Artery Disease. When the body has a high cholesterol level in the body, the fatty cells will bind together over a period 0f time (usually many years) to narrow along the inside of wall of the coronary arteries. The process of this fatty buildup is known as Atherosclerosis.
See diagram:
The trouble with atherosclerosis are the risks associated with the advancement of the disease. If this condition is not managed properly, you can be at risk of heart attack or stroke. Stable Angina is usually a good indicator that you should carefully monitor the progression of the disease to minimize the risk of any adverse event.
Risks with Coronary Artery Disease
The risks of Coronary Artery Disease can be serious. The experts always tell you to “listen to your heart”. When you are experiencing symptoms of Chest Pain, dizziness, palpitation, chronic fatigue etc it is becuase your body is sending you an alarm.
Treatment Of Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Artery Disease and Angina are known to be a diffuse disease. That means that if you have atherosclerosis or build up of plaque in the arteries, the narrowing of the arteries will not only affect one or more of the main pathways in the Coronary Arteries. It is likely to impact the system as a whole. That means that your heart will find difficulties in delivering oxygenated blood flow to the heart in severe scenarios. If you have this condition, there are several ways to assist your body to deliver the necessary blood flow needed to avoid symptoms.
The normal course of treatment for Coronary Artery and Angina is through medication. The onset of chest pain and other symptoms can often be abrupt, but the normal course of action is through medical management (medications). There are several types of medications used to provide relief of symptoms and control.
- Nitrates (vasodialator) to open vessels
- Calcium Channel Blockers (slow heart & dialate vessels)
- Anti Coagulation treatment (prevent clotting)
- Statins drugs to lower cholesterol
When traditional medical therapies are not effective, the last resort is generally surgery. Surgical procedures to treat blockages of the heart include Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Coronary Bypass Graph (CABG).
Coronary Artery Disease generally refers to a specific type of angina that is known to be ‘stable’ or predictable. This means that you can expect chest pain, tightness or other symptoms upon exertion. This condition can be burdensome to your quality of life thus forcing you to seek other methods of treatment. And that is where Cardiac Therapy can be the perfect fit!
Cardiac Therapy (medical term External Counterpulsation Therapy) is a non-invasive rehabilitation procedure to address circulatory blockages of the heart and vascular system. Cardiac Therapy acts as an external cardiac assist device helping the body restore or re-create new oxygenated pathways for blood flow to reduce symptoms and increase physical activity.
