CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE TREATMENT IN LONDON
Coronary artery disease, also known as coronary heart disease, is a leading cause of premature death in the UK and worldwide.
There are currently an estimated 2.3 million people in the UK living with coronary artery disease. Many of these people could have their risk of a serious cardiac event reduced by taking simple steps to control their condition.
Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
Every patient is unique, so exactly what treatment for coronary artery disease will look like for you will vary from person to person.
In the first instance, many people are recommended to make positive lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of experiencing a severe cardiac event as a result of CAD. For example, if you usually smoke and have had a heart attack, you’ll be recommended to quit smoking and will be given support to help you do this. Weight loss, nutritional changes and increased exercise can all help to reduce your risk of heart disease and CAD.
There are a variety of medicines used to treat coronary artery disease. These usually target the risk factors that are responsible for your condition and help to reduce the chances of problems such as angina or a heart attack. They include, but aren’t limited to:
- Cholesterol drugs to lower bad cholesterol and reduce plaque building up in your arteries
- Aspirin to thin your blood and make it easier to flow through the arteries, as well as helps to prevent blood clots
- Beta-blockers to help widen veins and arteries to improve blood flow and lower your blood pressure
In some cases, surgery may be recommended. A coronary artery bypass graft is the most common surgical procedure used to treat CAD. It involves diverting blood around the narrowed or blocked sections of artery in order to improve blood flow and ensure that oxygenated blood can reach the heart.
Surgery is usually suggested if your arteries are severely narrowed or blocked in several areas, or if you have a blockage in one of the larger main arteries.
Your expert cardiologist will create a bespoke treatment plan for you that is based on your individual circumstances, including the type of CAD that you have. This treatment plan may include medications as well as recommendations to make some positive changes to your lifestyle.
What Is Coronary Artery Disease?
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition that affects the coronary arteries. These arteries are responsible for supplying blood to your heart and play an essential role in your health.
Coronary artery disease occurs when these arteries become narrowed, or in some cases blocked, preventing oxygen-rich blood from flowing normally to your heart. This normally happens due to a build-up of cholesterol deposits, which is known as plaque.
Plaque lines the inside walls of the arteries, causing them to become progressively narrower. In a similar way to traffic congestion caused by two lanes of road merging into one, the flow of blood gets slower and slower. In advanced cases, the plaque can cause a blood clot to develop that stops the flow of blood altogether. If this happens, it results in a heart attack, which can prove fatal.
Unfortunately, CAD is often referred to as a silent killer, since it’s possible to live with it for many years and not realise until it becomes severe enough to cause a heart attack.
Types Of Coronary Artery Disease
Although plaque formation is the most common cause of coronary artery disease, there are actually several different types of the condition, each triggered by something different.
This is the type of CAD caused by the narrowing of the arteries due to plaque build-up and is by far the most common variety. Patients with this type may experience some symptoms as the arteries become narrower. However, a sudden blockage will cause a heart attack — something which is always a medical emergency and requires urgent attention.
If you suspect you or a loved one is having a heart attack, you should call 999 straight away. Signs of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain
- Pain spreading for your chest to your arms, back, tummy, neck or jaw
- A feeling of pressure, tightness or heaviness in your chest
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
This type of CAD is caused by other issues affecting the coronary arteries, such as:
- Malfunctions in the smaller artery branches, known as microvascular dysfunction
- Damage to the lining of your arteries, called endothelial dysfunction
- Constriction at inappropriate times, known as coronary vasospasm
- Squeezing/compression of the arteries from the heart muscle, called myocardial bridging
These conditions tend to be more common in female patients, although they can affect anyone at any age. The symptoms are also similar to those that occur in obstructive CAD and include chest pain and shortness of breath.
Also known as SCAD, spontaneous coronary artery disease is characterised by a tear in the wall of a coronary artery that either partially or fully blocks the flow of blood to the heart.
As the name of this variety suggests, tearing happens unexpectedly and is a medical emergency since it nearly always results in a heart attack.
Coronary Artery Disease Symptoms
One of the biggest challenges of coronary artery disease is that symptoms are often very subtle and develop gradually over a period of months and years. In many cases, people remain unaware that they have CAD until they experience a cardiac event, such as unexpected breathlessness, heart pain or a heart attack.
The symptoms of coronary artery disease include:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Unexpected fatigue
- Heart attack
Also known as angina, the chest pain of CAD feels like a band of pressure or tightness around your chest that predominantly affects the middle or left-hand side. Some patients, particularly women, experience pain in their neck, arm or back.
An angina attack usually occurs as a result of physical activity or strong emotion, and in most cases, the pain will naturally subside after the trigger has ceased.
If you have shortness of breath and feel that you can’t catch your breath — especially if you haven’t had any physical exertion — it could be a sign of coronary artery disease.
For more information, please read our article ‘3 signs that shortness of breath could be serious’.
Everyone feels tired from time to time, but if you feel unusually tired it could be because your heart isn’t capable of pumping enough oxygenated blood around your body — a common sign of CAD.
If your coronary artery becomes completely blocked, blood won’t be able to reach your heart and you’ll suffer from a heart attack.
As mentioned above, signs of a heart attack include crushing pain in your chest, pain in your shoulder/arm, sweating and shortness of breath. Women tend to suffer from less typical symptoms including fatigue, nausea and pain in their neck or jaw.
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Complications Of Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease can also lead to other types of heart disease if it is left untreated. These include:
Heart Failure
Heart failure means that the heart isn’t working as it should be, and the severity of the effects of heart failure can vary from mild to severe. Many people live long lives with mild heart failure, while for others, their ability to perform daily tasks is severely compromised.
Irregular Heartbeat
Also known as arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat can occur if your heart isn’t getting enough oxygen, which causes the heart tissue to become damaged. This can trigger symptoms like dizziness, tiredness and heart palpitations. An irregular heartbeat can also cause more severe issues, such as blood clot formation and even stroke.
Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease
Getting a diagnosis of coronary artery disease usually takes place over a series of different steps, starting with an assessment of your risk factors for the condition.
Your cardiologist will ask questions about your lifestyle, your medical and family history, and probably do a blood test to assess your cholesterol level.
Some further heart tests which may be used to confirm your diagnosis could include:
- X-rays of your chest: to check on the size and shape of your heart.
- An electrocardiogram (ECG): a non-invasive test that checks your heart’s rhythm and electrical activity.
- An echocardiogram: a form of ultrasound which is used to look at your heart and blood vessels to see how blood flows through them.
- A CT scan: used to look for calcifications in your coronary arteries that are indicative of obstructive CAD.
Your specialist will explain the results to you and what you can expect to happen next.
Managing Coronary Artery Disease
Unfortunately, there is no cure for CAD, but there are things that you can do to manage your condition and reduce the risk of serious health problems such as angina or a heart attack.
Most patients with CAD manage their condition using a combination of medication and lifestyle changes. These changes can include giving up smoking, eating a healthy, nutrient-rich diet and getting regular exercise.
Your cardiologist will work with you to help you manage your CAD so that it has minimal impact on your day-to-day life.
Book A Cardiology Appointment With Dr Karagiannis
If you are worried about coronary artery disease, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Expert Cardiologist – Dr Georgios Karagiannis – today.
You can book a private consultation in-person, over the phone, or via video call. Use the form below to get started.
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