JUANITA ARIAS MENTORING IN MEDICINE 8/22/13

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE Coronary Artery Disease takes place when the coronary arteries are hardened and narrowed. This disease results from atherosclerosis or thrombosis. CAD prevents the heart from obtaining the necessary blood and oxygen it needs.

SYMPTOMS  Chest pain or Angina  Shortness of breath  Rapid heartbeat  Weakness  Excessive sweating  Dizzines  Nausea  Jaw pain No Symptoms: Silent Ischemia

CAUSES ATHEROSCLEROSISTHROMBOSIS Atherosclerosis is the formation of a plaque which doesn’t allow the normal flow of blood. This plaque consists of cholesterol, clacium and other fatty deposists. Thrombosis or rupture is the buildup of a blood clot on the plaque surface and it completely obstructs blood flow. This causes the heart muscles to stop functioning.

FREQUENCY CDA is the most common type of heart disease Due to CDA more than 385,000 people die annually CDA costs North Americans billion each year African Americans have a higher percentage (25%) of getting CDA compared to American Indians’ probability (18%) In a survey from 2005, only 27% were coignizant of the major CDA symptoms Men are more prone to get CDA

RISK FACTORS Age: increases the risk of narrowed arteries Cholesterol: it builds up atherosclerosis Family history: if a father developed the disease before age 55 his children have a higher probabiity of getting the disease Smoking: Nicotine and carbon monoxide damage blood vessels High Blood Pressure: thickens the arteries and narrows the passage for blood

DIAGNOSIS/TESTS Electrocardiogram: monitors electrical signals and detects if a heart attack has happened Echocardiogram: depicts an image of the heart. It shows if all the parts and muscles are normally pumping blood Cardiac Catheterization or angiogram: a dye is injected in the arteries, and it shows blockages on the x-ray images. A ballon is introducted through a catheter and it is inflated in the area affected

DIAGNOSIS/TESTS CT Scan: computerized tomography shows images of the heart. EBCT is a type of CT scan and it detects high amount of calcium Magnetic Resonance Angiography: it uses MRI to check for areas of blockages Stess Tests: measure blood flow when the heart is at rest and during stress

TREATMENTS FOR CAD Medications-modifying Cholesterol: control of cholesterol prevents the creation of plaques Beta Blockers: decrease the heart’s need for oxygen or blood Calcium channel blockers: control blood pressure and relax the muscles around the coronary arteries Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A vein is removed from the legs, arms or chest and is connected to the affected artery and to the aorta. Daily habits: Stop smoking, drog and alcohol abuse, exercise regularly, eat healthy

REFERENCES Physicians, American Academy of Family. “Coronary Artery Disease.” MedlinePlus. 22 August "What Is Coronary Heart Disease?". National Heart, Lung and Blood Institue. 22 August August "Coronary artery disease." Mayo Clinic.29 June August disease/DS00064/DSECTION=risk-factors. "Heart Disease." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 29 March August "Heart Disease Health Center." 16 February August 2013.WebMD. artery-disease-symptoms.