Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death both in the UK and worldwide. CHD is sometimes called ischemic heart disease.
Causes
Coronary heart disease is the term that describes what happens when your heart's blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries.
Over time, the walls of your arteries can become furred up with fatty deposits. This process is known as atherosclerosis and the fatty deposits are called atheroma.
Atherosclerosis can be caused by lifestyle factors and other conditions, such as:
• smoking
• high cholesterol
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• diabetes
Symptoms
The main symptoms of CHD are:
• angina (chest pain)
• heart attacks
• heart failure
However, not everyone has the same symptoms and some people may not have any before CHD is diagnosed.
Treatments
Coronary heart disease can't be cured but treatment can help manage the symptoms and reduce the chances of problems such as heart attacks.
Treatment can include:
• lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and stopping smoking
• medication
• angioplasty - using balloons and stents to treat narrow heart arteries
• surgery
Prevention
• eating a healthy, balanced diet
• being physically active
• giving up smoking
• controlling blood cholesterol and sugar levels
Keeping your heart healthy will also have other health benefits, such as helping reduce your risk of stroke and dementia.
