- Coronary heart disease, or coronary artery disease (CAD), is brought about by a condition called atherosclerosis, a "hardening of the arteries" from a collection of fatty deposits (called plaque).
- The development of coronary heart disease takes place over decades, beginning as early as childhood. Years of environmental factors, like an unhealthy diet, too much cholesterol, lack of exercise and smoking, contribute to the onset of CAD.
- Initially, as the heart is denied blood and oxygen, chest pain called angina results, and eventually the blockage worsens. "When the blood supply is completely cut off, the result is a heart attack, and the heart muscle begins to die," according to Stanford Hospital and Clinics.
- Risk factors for CAD that may not be controlled include age, heredity and sex. The majority of people with CAD are over age 65. Those with a family history of CAD are at higher risk, while males have a higher likelihood of heart attack
- The Texas Heart Institute says risk factors that are controllable include smoking (smokers nearly quadruple their risk), high blood pressure, obesity, lack of exercise, a diet high in fats, stress and diabetes.
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