Arteries are responsible for carrying all the blood pumped from the heart to the body tissues. The walls of the arteries have an elastic structure. Therefore, the migration process continues without disruption in a regular network system. Vital organs such as the heart and brain, as well as all other organs and tissues, continue their functions by feeding on the oxygen in these arteries.
What is Coronary Artery?
What is Coronary Artery Disease and How is it Diagnosed< Before moving on to the question /strong>, it is necessary to first answer the question of what is a coronary artery. Coronary Arteries are the arteries that feed the heart. Coronary arteries are the first vessels to leave the aorta and run on the surface of the heart. Their function is to nourish the heart muscle and carry oxygen to it.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) occurs as a result of reduction or complete cessation of blood flow as a result of narrowing or blockage in these coronary arteries that feed the heart muscle. The symptoms may begin with a simple, nonspecific chest pain, but sometimes the patient may have a heart attack or even die. Therefore, early diagnosis is very important in coronary artery disease. If the patient has a heart attack as a result of neglected findings, severe damage to the heart muscle may occur, even if he does not die. The main underlying cause of the disease is "atherosclerosis", generally known as arteriosclerosis.
Who Gets Coronary Artery Disease?
Signs and symptoms of the disease are generally seen after the age of 40. However, it can also be seen at an earlier age in people with a family history of coronary artery disease. Men have a greater risk than women. It is thought that the estrogen hormone in women prevents heart attacks. For this reason, we can say that women are at risk of coronary disease and the incidence of the disease increases after menopause, when the estrogen hormone decreases.
Risk Factors of Coronary Artery Disease
Risk factors of coronary artery disease can be considered in two main groups. The headings of these two main groups are modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Among the modifiable risk factors, the first one is smoking. Hypertension (high High blood pressure), high cholesterol, lack of physical activity and alcohol consumption are also included in this heading. Among the risk factors that cannot be changed: There are factors such as advanced age, gender, and a family history of coronary artery disease before the age of 50.
Diabetes can also be considered among the risk factors discussed under the heading "What is Coronary Artery Disease? How is it Diagnosed?" However, at this stage, it is preferred to take precautions by addressing correctable risk factors. Making or eliminating these vital changes can help eliminate risk factors.
The most important risk factor in Coronary Artery Disease is smoking. Stopping smoking and staying away from smoking areas is extremely important for the development of the disease. High cholesterol level in the blood directly affects the development of the disease. For this reason, cholesterol levels need to be reduced to normal limits through diet and medication methods. Regular exercise and daily walks are an important step to protect from the disease. While taking these vital precautions, weight gain should also be prevented. It is inevitable for overweight people to lose normal weight by following healthy eating and exercise rules. High blood pressure patients and diabetic patients also need to be kept under control. The most important point is to avoid stress that causes sudden attacks.
How to Diagnose Coronary Artery Disease
There are a number of methods used to diagnose the disease. Especially ECG and Stress test are very important in the diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease. ECG (electrocardiography) is a diagnostic method used to record the electrical activities of the heart. All electrical activities of the heart are recorded with electrodes attached to the skin at heart level. Signs of a heart attack, along with findings such as heart rhythm, rate and insufficient amount of blood and oxygen flowing to the heart muscle, can be easily diagnosed through the ECG channel. However, ECG does not show vascular occlusion under normal conditions at rest, but it is diagnosed when a heart attack or chest pain begins. It may help to put �. Therefore, the first method to be preferred in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease is the Exercise test. The stress test is a diagnostic method used by the physician when necessary. An ECG is taken while the patient is running on the treadmill.
Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease
After narrowing in coronary artery disease, blockage with a clot may occur. As a result of this situation, a heart attack develops. Lack of sufficient blood supply and lack of oxygen in the area fed by the blocked vessel leads to tissue death.
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