Coronary Heart Disease - Description and Current Knowledge
WHAT IS CHD?
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Coronary Artery Disease or Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the US, with approximately 500,000 - 700,000 deaths annually.
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Symptoms can range from no symptoms to chest pain, to a heart attack.
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People who are asymptomatic are unaware that they have CHD until they experience chest pain, a heart attack, or sudden cardiac arrest.
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Variations in early signs and symptoms may make CHD harder to recognize:
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For example, men may feel fatigue or physical discomfort and attribute it to overwork, poor sleep, or some general age-related pain.
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Plaque buildup causes coronary arteries to narrow, limiting blood flow to the heart.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY KNOWN:
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There are a multitude of risk factors for CHD, with a patient’s overall risk of CHD going up with the severity and number of them.
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These include but are not limited to:
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High Blood Pressure
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High Blood Cholesterol
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Family History of Cardiovascular Disease
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Age
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Ethnic Background
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Smoking Frequency, Obesity, and Obesity are all risk factors for CHD
