The symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary Heart Disease - a disease in which the coronary arteries become narrowed and starve the heart muscle (myocardium) from the oxygen supply and nutrients, particularly on exertion when the demands on the myocardium increase. Coronary Heart Disease can be prevented, but is almost impossible to treat it - this is a disease caused by metabolic disorders and genetic factors.

Angina - the main symptom of CHD, caused by the insufficiency of oxygen in the heart muscle, because of the reduced blood flow. Angina appears to be a feeling of heaviness, tightness or pain in the middle of the chest. Sometimes it extends to the arms (usually the left one), neck, face, jaw, back or abdomen. Angina is a symptom which in most of cases indicates a Coronary Heart Disease.

The symptoms listed below aren't characteristic only to Coronary Heart Disease, but having at least one of them, must stay under your doctor's observation.

• Fatigue - is a common symptom of Coronary Heart Disease, as well as for other disorders, including pulmonary diseases. Your doctor must make the decision whether or not you have a coronary disease.
• Fluid retention in the tissues (edema) - an abnormal accumulation of fluids in the ankles, legs, lungs or abdomen.
• Blush-tinged fingernails or lips (cyanosis) - indicates a low concentration of oxygen in the blood.
• Palpitations - a feeling of strong emotions, like a forceful and unusual heart beat, sometimes for several hours or recurring in a few days

Atherosclerosis - the most common factor - a buildup of fatty materials (cholesterol, fats, LDL) porridge-like atheroma, lining in the arteries on the walls, thickening the inner space. The myocardium in atherosclerosis receives less oxygen and this way a heart attack occurs.

Heart attack appears when the artery blocks completely, while the Coronary Heart Disease appears earlier, caused by the metabolic disturbances in the blood and coronaries. The factors presented below are crucial in Heart Attack appearence:

• Inherited genetic factors, family history, with a heart disease
• Unhealthy diet, fat excesses, increased amount of cholesterol intake.
• Sedentary life-style and lack of physical exercises leads to a laziness from your heart.
• Smoking - increases the chances of developing a Heart Attack, due to the narrowing of arteries and arteries' elasticity loss.
• High Blood Pressure - untreated, it can aggravate or urge a clot rupture and artery block, leading to a heart attack.
• Diabetes

Updated: January, 27 2010 08:41:55

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