Frequent question: What is minor CAD?

What is considered mild coronary artery disease?

Stage 1 would be considered mild heart disease, in which one to two blood vessels may be blocked less than 30 percent. Stage 2 is defined as moderate heart disease, with blockage between 30 and 49 percent in one to two vessels, or mild blockage in three blood vessels.

Does CAD go away?

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is treatable, but there is no cure. This means that once diagnosed with CAD, you have to learn to live with it for the rest of your life. By lowering your risk factors and losing your fears, you can live a full life despite CAD.

What happens if CAD is not treated?

If left untreated, CAD can lead to other heart conditions, some of which are life-threatening: Cardiogenic shock: This life-threatening emergency can develop after severe injury to heart muscle function. This type of injury includes a heart attack or a dangerous arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm).

What is a CAD in medical terms?

A disease in which there is a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries (blood vessels that carry blood and oxygen to the heart). CAD is usually caused by atherosclerosis (a buildup of fatty material and plaque inside the coronary arteries).

What are complications of CAD?

Over time, CAD can lead to heart failure. Heart failure means that your heart isn’t able to pump enough blood to the rest of your body. This can cause fluid buildup in the lungs, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the legs, liver, or abdomen.

How CAD is diagnosed?

Diagnosing CAD requires a review of your medical history, a physical examination, and other medical testing. These tests include: Electrocardiogram: This test monitors electrical signals that travel through your heart. It may help your doctor determine whether you’ve had a heart attack.

What are the early signs of heart problem?

Signs and symptoms can include:

• Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort (angina)
• Shortness of breath.
• Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed.
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back.

What vitamin removes plaque from arteries?

Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is the best agent known to raise blood levels of HDL, which helps remove cholesterol deposits from the artery walls.

Is there a drug that removes plaque from arteries?

A new drug designed for tackling cancer and diabetes has been found to melt away fat that clogs up arteries. Researchers from the University of Aberdeen claim that just a single dose of the new drug Trodusquemine can completely reverse the effects of Atherosclerosis.

What is the main cause of CAD?

CAD is caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries) and other parts of the body. Plaque is made up of deposits of cholesterol and other substances in the artery.

Can CAD cause stroke?

For example, coronary artery disease increases your risk for stroke, because plaque builds up in the arteries and blocks the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain.

What does a blocked artery feel like?

The symptoms of an artery blockage include chest pain and tightness, and shortness of breath. Imagine driving through a tunnel. On Monday, you encounter a pile of rubble. There is a narrow gap, big enough to drive through.

Who is at risk for CAD?

The traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease are high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, family history, diabetes, smoking, being post-menopausal for women and being older than 45 for men, according to Fisher. Obesity may also be a risk factor.

What causes arteries to block?

Development of atherosclerosis

If you have too many cholesterol particles in your blood, cholesterol may buildup on your artery walls. Eventually, deposits called plaques may form. The deposits may narrow — or block — your arteries. If the plaques burst, a blood clot can form.

Is PVD a chronic condition?

This is a chronic inflammatory disease in the arteries. It leads to blood clots in the small- and medium-sized arteries of the arms or legs, eventually blocking them. This disease most commonly occurs in men between ages 20 and 40 who smoke cigarettes.