Heart disease can affect anyone at any time. There is no set age for it to strike. I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease at the age of thirty two. I was shocked to be facing that diagnoses at such a young age.
There are different types of heart disease. You can have diseases of the heart's conduction system, the valves, the arteries, or any other part of the heart. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a very common condition in the older population, but is becoming more prevalent in younger adults also.
In CAD, the arteries become clogged with plaque which in turn causes narrowing of that portion of the artery. This causes less blood flow to the heart. It is often caused by atherosclerosis( hardening of the arteries).
Some of the main causes of coronary artery disease are smoking, aging, and high fat/cholesterol diet.
With lifestyle modifications, such as quitting smoking, lowering the fat and cholesterol in your diet, and regular exercise, many times CAD can be controlled without intervention. If the artery becomes more than 50% blocked, treatment may be necessary. Some treatment options include stent placement, angioplasty(inserting a tiny balloon in the artery), or bypass surgery. Aspirin is also a good treatment option.
It is important to remember that CAD can cause chest pain called angina. If you have a prescription for nitroglycerine, it should help if it is really just angina. If you have chest pain that does not go away, you must go to the emegency department immediately for evaluation. It could be a matter of life and death.
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