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Expected Outcomes for Coronary Artery Disease

The arteries that lead directly into your heart and are responsible for blood flow are the coronary arteries. Some individuals develop buildup of the fatty substance called plaque, reducing blood flow and resulting in a heart that functions poorly. This condition is coronary artery disease.

  1. Risk Factors

    • Risk factors that can cause this illness include diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and high stress. Coronary artery disease also tends to run in families and is more common in men.

    Symptoms

    • The condition develops over years, and sometimes there are limited symptoms until an actual heart attack. Some things to watch for include shortness of breath and chest pain.

    Lifestyle Changes

    • Your doctor will encourage you to make some changes to improve your expected outcome. If you're overweight, you'll need a heart healthy diet with moderate exercise. Examples of some good eating habits include fruits, grains and vegetables. You will need to cut out salt and eat foods low in saturated fat.

    Treatment

    • There are several possibilities that might include surgery, such as a bypass or angioplasty, a procedure where a balloon inserted into the artery removes the blockage. Medication can be prescribed that will reduce your cholesterol, keep your blood thin and free-flowing and control your blood pressure

    Statistical Outcomes

    • Reported by the U.S. Department of Health (2007), 90 percent of patients survived five or more years with surgery. Six months to three years after diagnosis, patients reported improvement in the quality of their lives resulting from treatment of this illness.

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