Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease in the United States. It happens when plaque — deposits of cholesterol and other substances — builds up in the walls of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.^{[1, 2]}

As plaque builds up, the inside of the arteries narrows. This process, called atherosclerosis, can partly or completely block blood flow. Reduced blood flow can cause chest pain, and a blocked artery can cause a heart attack. For many people, a heart attack is the first sign that they have CAD.^{[1, 2]}

Symptoms vary from person to person. Angina is the most common. Symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort; weakness, light-headedness, nausea or a cold sweat; pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder; and shortness of breath. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle and lead to heart failure.^{[1, 2]}

Doctors diagnose CAD using a person’s symptoms, medical and family history, risk factors and heart tests. CDC lists tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), echocardiogram, exercise stress test, chest X-ray, cardiac catheterization, coronary angiogram and coronary artery calcium scan.^{[1, 2]}

NHLBI reports that about 1 in 20 adults aged 20 and older have coronary heart disease, and that it caused 371,506 deaths in the United States in 2022.^{[2, 3]}

Risk factors for CAD include overweight, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating and smoking tobacco. A family history of heart disease raises risk, especially when relatives developed heart disease at age 50 or younger.^[1]

High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes are also major risk factors for heart disease. Health care teams often measure blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar to estimate a person’s risk.^{[1, 4]}

NHLBI states that for most people coronary heart disease is preventable with a heart-healthy lifestyle and medicines, and that it may be possible to stop or reverse plaque buildup.^[2]

For people who have CAD, care can include lifestyle changes (a lower-sodium, lower-fat diet, more physical activity, reaching a healthy weight and quitting smoking), medicines that treat risk factors, and procedures that restore blood flow. Cardiac rehabilitation helps people recovering from a heart attack or heart procedure and can help prevent another cardiac event.^[1]