In today's post, we will be discussing coronary artery disease, so keep reading to learn more!
Our hearts need oxygenated blood to function and deoxygenated blood to be carried away. The coronary arteries carry an important role in our circulatory system. If something happens to these arteries, it can lead to serious damage to our bodies. A common disease is Coronary Artery Disease.
Coronary artery disease occurs when there is a blockage of the coronary arteries which occurs in a result of an injury to the inner layer of the coronary artery. The narrowing and blockage of these arteries are caused by the process of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is responsible for plaques inside the arteries, which are build-ups of cholesterol and fatty accumulations. These accumulations lead to disrupting the regular artery functions by blocking and even damaging them, which stops the necessary blood flow to the heart.
Plaques are the reasons why millions of Americans are affected by this disease. The process of this build-up happens slowly as children age. From blood vessels having fat in the inner walls, it builds up as a person ages. As the fats build up and get bigger, things such as inflammatory cells, waste, calcium, proteins, and etc. stick to the vessel wall along with the fat build-up to form plaque. Plaque causes the inner walls of the vessel blood cells to become sticky, and leads to more things to stick and make it harder for arteries to pass through.
So what happens when the blood is not able to flow to the heart? It can cause angina, a type of chest pain or a heart attack. Heart attacks occur when a blood clots, caused by the plaque that prevents the heart from obtaining the blood supply. This leads to serious damage to the heart. Angina can cause the feelings and symptoms of pressure, aching, burning, weakness, nausea, cramping, and tightening around the chest area. It can also lead to shortness of breath. Heart attack symptoms include all of this, plus panic, discomfort, coughing, dizziness, clammy skin, and sweating.
To prevent and manage from obtaining disease include living a healthier lifestyle with no smoking, healthy diets, rest, and good amounts of exercise.
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Just a disclaimer, photos used in this article may or may not depict coronary artery disease and photos used were meant to symbolize an aspect discussed in the article. All photos are not ours and belong to the respective owners.
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