How does chd happen

And they may have other symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and nausea. If you think you're having a heart attack, immediately call or your local emergency number. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only as a last option. If you have risk factors for coronary artery disease — such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tobacco use, diabetes, obesity a strong family history of heart disease — talk to your doctor.

Your doctor may want to test you for coronary artery disease, especially if you have signs or symptoms of narrowed arteries. If you have too many cholesterol particles in your blood, cholesterol may accumulate on your artery walls. Eventually, deposits called plaques may form. The deposits may narrow — or block — your arteries. These plaques can also burst, causing a blood clot to form. Coronary artery disease is thought to begin with damage or injury to the inner layer of a coronary artery, sometimes as early as childhood.

The damage may be caused by various factors, including:. Once the inner wall of an artery is damaged, fatty deposits plaque made of cholesterol and other cellular waste products tend to collect at the site of injury.

This process is called atherosclerosis. If the plaque surface breaks or ruptures, blood cells called platelets clump together at the site to try to repair the artery.

This clump can block the artery, leading to a heart attack. Risk factors often occur together and one may trigger another. For instance, obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. When grouped together, certain risk factors make you even more likely to develop coronary artery disease. For example, metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes high blood pressure; high triglycerides; low HDL , or "good," cholesterol; high insulin levels and excess body fat around the waist — increases the risk of coronary artery disease.

Sometimes coronary artery disease develops without any classic risk factors. Researchers are studying other possible risk factors, including:. The same lifestyle habits used to help treat coronary artery disease can also help prevent it. A healthy lifestyle can help keep your arteries strong and clear of plaque. To improve your heart health, follow these tips:. Coronary artery disease care at Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Coronary artery disease develops when the major blood vessels that supply your heart become damaged or diseased. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Development of atherosclerosis Open pop-up dialog box Close.

You may experience more symptoms when your blood flow is more restricted. If a blockage cuts off blood flow completely or almost completely, your heart muscle will start to die if not restored. This is a heart attack. Immediate medical treatment is necessary. Men have a higher risk of developing heart disease than premenopausal women. Postmenopausal women by age 70 have the same risk as men.

Understanding the risk factors for CAD can help with your plan to prevent or decrease the likelihood of developing the disease. The risk for CAD also increases with age. Based on age alone as a risk factor, men have a greater risk for the disease beginning at age 45 and women have a greater risk beginning at age The risk for coronary artery disease is also higher if you have a family history of the disease.

Diagnosing CAD requires a review of your medical history, a physical examination, and other medical testing. These tests include:. Treatment also depends on your current health condition, risk factors, and overall wellbeing. For example, your doctor may prescribe medication therapy to treat high cholesterol or high blood pressure, or you may receive medication to control blood sugar if you have diabetes.

These procedures may be:. You have better chances of preventing extensive damage to your heart the earlier you can start your treatment or implement lifestyle changes. Take medications as directed and make the recommended lifestyle changes. If you have a higher risk for CAD, you can help to prevent the disease by reducing your risk factors. Learn about coronary artery spasms and what causes them. Find information on the symptoms, risk factors, treatment options, and potential….

Atherosclerosis can be caused by lifestyle factors, such as smoking and regularly drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. You're also more at risk of getting atherosclerosis if you have conditions like high cholesterol , high blood pressure hypertension or diabetes. If a doctor feels you're at risk of coronary heart disease, they may carry out a risk assessment. They'll ask you about your medical and family history and your lifestyle, and they'll take a blood test.

Read more about how coronary heart disease is diagnosed. Coronary heart disease cannot be cured but treatment can help manage the symptoms and reduce the chances of problems such as heart attacks. If you've had a heart attack, an angioplasty, or heart surgery, it's possible to get back to a normal life.

Advice and support is available to help you deal with aspects of your life that may have been affected by coronary heart disease. Read more about recovering from the effects of coronary heart disease. You can reduce your risk of getting coronary heart disease by making some simple lifestyle changes.