Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary arteries bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is blockage of these arteries. If the blockage is complete, areas of the heart muscle may be damaged. In severe cases, heart muscle dies. This can lead to a heart attack. Coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death worldwide. Causes of CAD include:
- Thickening of the walls of the arteries feeding the heart muscle
- Accumulation of fatty plaques within the coronary arteries
- Sudden spasm of a coronary artery
- Narrowing of the coronary arteries
- Inflammation within the coronary arteries
- Development of a blood clot within the coronary arteries
Symptoms of coronary artery disease include:
- Chest pain (angina)
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Weakness
Diagnosis & Testing
Your physician at Lakeview Hospital will prescribe diagnostic tests right away to see if you have coronary artery disease. He may prescribe diagnostic tests such as:
- Angiogram
- Blood tests
- Cardiac catheterization
- Cardiac stress test
- Coronary angiography
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram
- Exercise stress test
- MRI
- Nuclear scanning
- Transesophageal echocardiography
Click here to schedule an appointment with one of our Heart & Vascular Care providers.