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CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
 In
a healthy human being, the heart muscle has an adequate
blood supply to contract properly. When the coronary
arteries (carrying oxygen) and blood supply to myocardium
(heart muscle) gets narrowed or blocked, the area of
the heart muscle supplied by that coronary artery suffers
Ischemia (lack of blood supply), injury and infarction
(death of myocardium). This is what is known as Ischemic
Heart Disease or Coronary Artery Disease.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is characterized
by the accumulation of fatty deposits along the innermost
layer of the coronary arteries. The fatty deposits may
develop in childhood and continue to thicken and enlarge
throughout the life span. This thickening, called Atherosclerosis,
narrows the arteries and can decrease or block the flow
of blood to the heart. Acute Coronary Syndrome, Angina
Pectoris, Myocardial Infarction and Progressive CAD
are the most common manifestations of Coronary Artery
Disease or CAD. |
