Anatomy & Physiology of Coronary Heart Disease

Heart disease, also referred to as cardiovascular disease, refers to conditions that result from narrowed or blocked coronary vessels. This blockage can lead to chest pain, heart attack, and stroke. According to the Mayo Clinic, heart disease is the leading killer of men and women worldwide. Understanding cardiovascular physiology and anatomy is the basis for diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

Coronary Artery Disease

• Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition in which plaque builds up in the coronary arteries. These arteries supply the heart muscles with oxygen-rich blood, and this plaque narrows the arteries and reduces the flow of blood to the heart. This can result in blood clots forming in your arteries, which can partially or completely block blood flow.

Angina

• Angina is chest pain or discomfort that results from your heart not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. The physiological effect is a sensation of pressure or squeezing in the chest or shoulders. Angina varies in degree of severity and is not a heart attack, but its onset makes a heart attack more likely.

Atherosclerosis

• Atherosclerosis is a disease that develops over time as plaque builds up inside your arteries. This fatty buildup creates a greater degree of pressure on the artery walls, making them thick and stiff. This loss of resiliency results in restricted blood flow to various parts of your body, including the heart, brain, and muscle tissue.

Effects

• In addition to angina, the symptoms of coronary heart disease are shortness of breath and pain, numbness, or weakness in your arms or legs. This indicates that the blood vessels in those areas of your body have narrowed. In same cases, there may be no overt symptoms until heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmia occur. A heart attack occurs when a section of plaque breaks open and a large-enough blockage occurs to cut most or all of the blood flow through the artery.

Causes

• The physiological causes of coronary heart disease are strongly connected to diet and lifestyle. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and a diet high in certain fats and cholesterol increase risk of CAD. Lack of exercise weakens the heart and stimulates the onset of atherosclerosis. High blood pressure or excessive amounts of sugar in the blood due to insulin resistance or diabetes can also contribute to coronary heart disease.