Healthy Living Tips from
The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | June 2023
Understanding Coronary Artery Disease : The Heart Killer
We ’ ve often heard about how impaired blood flow to the heart can result in a heart attack and damage to the heart muscle . That ’ s putting it gently .
Deborah Heart and Lung Center Interventional Cardiologist Muhammad Raza , MD , uses more stark language to describe what ’ s happening : “ The heart attack actually means that the heart muscle is actively dying ,” according to Dr . Raza .
Coronary artery disease ( CAD ) is a gradual-onset condition caused by growing deposits of cholesterol in heart arteries that eventually block the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to heart tissue .
Unchecked deposits of cholesterol plaque can cause early symptoms such as pain , pressure , and a squeezing sensation in the chest as the heart pumps harder to send blood through the body . Such sensations should be considered the heart ’ s cry for help .
Narrowing Arteries Send Signals Narrowing arteries can send up other flares , such as :
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Extreme fatigue or general body weakness Light-headedness Nausea and / or heartburn Pain or discomfort in both arms or shoulders Shortness of breath
Any of these with or without chest symptoms can indicate an ongoing process that , if ignored , can trigger an immediate and escalating medical emergency such as a heart attack .
“ When the heart muscle profusion or blood flow to the heart muscle tissue is significantly impaired , the heart muscle starts dying , and that ’ s a heart attack ,” Dr . Raza said .
Opening the Blood Vessel “ If the heart blood vessel is 100 percent blocked , the heart muscle will start dying right away , within seconds , and will continue to die unless we open the blood vessel .”
There ’ s no resurrecting dead heart tissue , or rejuvenating damaged coronary arteries . Fortunately , there have never been more effective treatment options ( with more in the pipeline ) and screening tools to help identify CAD in its earliest stages and even patients who are at high risk for developing it – to slow it , manage it , and prevent it . For more information , visit www . demanddeborah . org or call 855.856.7146 .
Muhammad Raza , MD is an Interventional Cardiologist at Deborah Heart and Lung Center
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