CORONARY HEART DISEASE

A small discussion on Coronary Artery Disease by Dr Christa Maria Joel MBBS MPH

1. Coronary Heart Disease (CAD) or Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) By Dr Christa Maria Joel MBBS MPH

2. Symptoms The most common symptom- chest pain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heartache-1846050_1920.jpg

3. Etiology of CAD Atherosclerosis : build-up of fat, cholesterol and other substances on the arterial walls. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atherosclerosis,_aorta,_gross_pathology_PHIL_846_lores.jpg

4. Risk factors for CAD

5. Types Of CAD

6. Clinical Picture

7. Diagnosis of CAD Proper history taking and examination. Various tests can be employed such as: ECG: measures the electrical activity of the heart. Echocardiogram: evaluates the functioning of the heart. Exercise stress test: checks the functioning of the heart. Chest X-ray: obtains the overview of the heart and lungs. Cardiac catheterization: evaluates the efficiency of the arteries. Coronary angiogram: checks for blockages and blood flow. Coronary artery calcium scan: checks for calcium accumulation in the arteries.

8. Treatment for CAD Primary prevention: Cardiac rehabilitation- Promote healthy living through physical activity, healthy diet, reducing body weight, monitoring BMI, quitting bad habits such as smoking and alcohol, and reducing stress through counselling. Secondary prevention: medications to lower cholesterol (statins), hypertension (ACE inhibitors, ARB, CCB, Beta-blockers, diuretics), and arrhythmias (anti-arrhythmic agents). Tertiary prevention: cardiac surgery to improve blood flow in the heart.

9. References Kumar, G (2015). Medicine at your fingertips. Book available by Paras Publications, India. CDC (2021). Coronary Artery Disease. Heart Disease. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/coronary_ad.htm

10. Thank you