The Record Special Sections Health Quarterly 02-16-2020

NORTHJERSEY.COM ❚ SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020 ❚ 1
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Advances
in the diagnosis
and treatment
of coronary artery
disease have
returned patients
to good health
and living long,
active lives.
Monitoring and
being mindful
of the leading
lifestyle, diet and
illness accelerators
of the disease
can help prevent
its potentially
tragic result.
Health Quarterly
Coronary Artery
Disease: What You
Need to Know
Symptoms, Treatment and Technology
By NANCY COHEN
Special to Health Quarterly
A
Culturally Sensitive Care: Eliminating Language Barriers
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diagnosis of coronary artery
disease can be unexpected and
frightening. Oftentimes, the diag-
nosis comes without any warning
to individuals who otherwise are healthy
and fit. The disease is a serious condition
caused by a buildup of plaque in the coro-
nary arteries; the blood vessels that bring
oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Coronary
artery disease — the most common type
of heart disease — affects millions of
Americans, the leading cause of death for
men, women and people of most racial and
ethnic groups in the United States.
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 high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes,
stress, smoking, unhealthy diet and a sed-
entary lifestyle. Additionally, individuals
with one or more close relatives who have
or had early coronary artery disease — for
men before age 55 and for women before
age 65 — are at an increased risk.
SYMPTOMS
n Chest pain (angina) — chest pain that
happens because there isn’t enough blood
going to part of your heart. It can feel like
a heart attack, with pressure or squeezing
in your chest.
n Shortness of breath — if your heart
can’t pump enough blood to meet your
body’s needs, you may develop shortness
of breath or extreme fatigue with exertion.
n Uncontrolled heartburn — a constant
painful burning sensation in the chest.
n Heart attack — a completely blocked
coronary artery will cause a heart attack.
The classic signs and symptoms of a heart
attack include crushing pressure in your
chest and pain in your shoulder or arm,
sometimes with shortness of breath and
sweating.
DIAGNOSIS
Diagnostic testing for coronary artery
disease should be driven by symptoms.
If symptoms are experienced, the patient
must be proactive and consult with their
primary care physician for a referral to a
general cardiologist for further evaluation.
There are two types of stress testing
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