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Coronary Heart Disease: Causes, Treatment, and How to Prevent It

HomeUncategorizedCoronary Heart Disease: Causes, Treatment, and How to Prevent It

Coronary Heart Disease: Causes, Treatment, and How to Prevent It

Coronary Heart Disease: Causes, Treatment, and How to Prevent It

What is Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is a condition when the coronary arteries are blocked by fatty deposits. This disease causes complaints in the form of chest pain, shortness of breath, and signs of a heart attack. If left unchecked, coronary heart disease can lead to heart failure. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Coronary arteries branch off from the aorta or great vessels. There are two types of coronary arteries, namely the main left coronary artery and the right coronary artery. The main left coronary artery functions to supply blood to the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. Meanwhile, the right coronary artery is in charge of flowing blood to the right atrium and right ventricle of the heart.

Fat deposits in the coronary arteries cause the coronary arteries to narrow and thicken. This condition causes the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart to decrease, causing symptoms of coronary heart disease. Based on WHO data in 2019, there were 17.9 million people in the world who died from heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD). Meanwhile in Indonesia, more than 2 million people were attacked by cardiovascular disease in 2018.

Reason

Coronary arteries can narrow or become blocked by plaque buildup on the artery walls. Plaque is made of excess cholesterol as well as other substances that float through the bloodstream, such as inflamed cells, protein and calcium. Over time, plaques can grow to various sizes. If the tough outer layer of plaque cracks or tears, platelets (disk-like particles in the blood that support blood clotting) can move elsewhere and a blood clot forms around the plaque.

So that the arteries are getting narrower and there is less room for blood to flow through the arteries. The process of plaque buildup in the arteries is called atherosclerosis, which is also known as “hardening of the arteries”.

Behaviors that increase the risk of coronary heart disease

Smoking habit

Smoking is one of the factors that play a major role in increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. At least more than 30% of people who have a heart attack are active smokers. The content of nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarettes causes the heart to work harder than usual. These two substances can increase the risk of blood clots forming in the arteries.

Unfortunately, other chemicals in cigarettes can also cause damage to the lining of the coronary arteries, increasing the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Cholesterol

Too much cholesterol flowing in the blood can cause coronary heart disease. The type of cholesterol that increases the risk of coronary heart disease is low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or what is commonly called bad cholesterol. Cholesterol is what tends to stick and accumulate in the coronary arteries.

Diabetes

Diabetics are predicted to have a two-fold higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. This is presumably because people with this disease have a thicker layer of blood vessel walls. The thickness of the coronary artery walls can interfere with the smooth flow of blood to the heart.

Blood clots

Blood clots or thromboses that occur in the coronary arteries can block the blood supply to the heart. The process of blood clotting is closely related to other aspects, such as the inflammatory system, high cholesterol levels, uncontrolled blood sugar, and stress.

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Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease is a condition when the main blood vessels that supply blood, oxygen and nutrients to the heart are damaged. Usually, this condition is caused by cholesterol plaques and inflammation.

Causes of Coronary Heart Disease

There are many causes of coronary heart disease. Even so, research shows that there are several things that can trigger it, such as:

  • High blood pressure.
  • High cholesterol and triglycerides
  • Diabetes.
  • Obesity.
  • Smoking habit.
  • Inflammation of blood vessels.
    They are all major factors that injure the walls of the arteries, resulting in coronary heart disease.

When an artery is damaged, it is easier for plaque to stick to the artery so that it will thicken over time. The narrowing of the vessels can then prevent the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. If this plaque ruptures, platelets can stick to the wound in the artery and form a blood clot that blocks the artery. This can make angina worse. When a blood clot is large enough, it can compress an artery resulting in myocardial infarction or death of the heart muscle.

To find out more about coronary heart disease and how to prevent it, you can go through the following link https://healthnowclinic.org/. Thankyou