{"id":5589,"date":"2025-12-13T14:39:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T19:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=5589"},"modified":"2025-12-13T17:53:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T22:53:48","slug":"coronary-artery-disease-overview","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/chapter\/coronary-artery-disease-overview\/","title":{"raw":"7p18  Coronary Artery Disease Overview","rendered":"7p18  Coronary Artery Disease Overview"},"content":{"raw":"<strong>Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)<\/strong>\r\n<h1><strong>Overview:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Disease of the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Also called\u00a0<strong>coronary heart disease<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>ischemic heart disease<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Main\u00a0<strong>clinical presentations:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Angina pectoris<\/strong>\u00a0(chest pain due to ischemia).<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Myocardial infarction (heart attack)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 complete blockage leading to tissue death.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Can lead to\u00a0<strong>heart failure<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>arrhythmias<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong>Risk Factors:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hypertension.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Gender:<\/strong>\u00a0Males are at higher risk.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Race:<\/strong>\u00a0Caucasians may be more susceptible.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Genetics<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>lifestyle:<\/strong>\u00a0Obesity, smoking, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong> Definitions of Arteriosclerosis and Atherosclerosis:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Arteriosclerosis:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The\u00a0<strong>umbrella term<\/strong>\u00a0for the\u00a0<strong>hardening of arteries<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Encompasses various changes in arterial walls, including\u00a0<strong>atherosclerosis<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Atherosclerosis:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A specific type of arteriosclerosis characterized by the buildup of\u00a0<strong>atheromatous plaques<\/strong>\u00a0(fatty deposits) within the arterial wall.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong> Pathophysiology of Arteriosclerosis:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Over time,\u00a0<strong>blood vessels<\/strong>\u00a0become\u00a0<strong>less capable of regeneration<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Elastic fibers<\/strong>\u00a0in arterial walls decrease with age:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Results in\u00a0<strong>stiffening<\/strong>\u00a0of arteries.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Reduced elasticity causes\u00a0<strong>narrowing of the lumen<\/strong>\u00a0(the blood vessel opening).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The lumen\u2019s narrowing impairs\u00a0<strong>vasodilation<\/strong>, making blood flow less adaptable.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong> Effects of Vessel Stiffening &amp; Narrowing:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Increased resistance<\/strong>\u00a0causes\u00a0<strong>higher blood pressure<\/strong>\u00a0(hypertension).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Progressive narrowing leads to\u00a0<strong>reduced blood flow<\/strong>\u00a0to tissues needing oxygen.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Key tissues:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Kidneys, brain, and heart:<\/strong>\u00a0Highly sensitive to\u00a0<strong>hypoxia<\/strong>\u00a0(low oxygen).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Insufficient oxygen: can cause\u00a0<strong>dysfunction<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>tissue death<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong> Common Complications:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Increased blood pressure<\/strong>\u00a0with age, especially after 50+.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>In\u00a0<strong>diabetes<\/strong>, high blood sugar damages vessel walls:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Accelerates narrowing (damage to vessel walls).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Can lead to\u00a0<strong>ischemia<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>organ dysfunction<\/strong>, and\u00a0<strong>amputations<\/strong>\u00a0(e.g., in feet).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong> Aging &amp; Vascular Changes:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Natural decline in elasticity causes\u00a0<strong>progressive narrowing<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Lifestyle and disease (like diabetes) exacerbate the process.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong>Consequence:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Progressive damage, leading to\u00a0<strong>conduction system damage<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>dysrhythmias<\/strong>, and\u00a0<strong>heart failure<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Early detection and management of risk factors are essential to prevent adverse outcomes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1><strong>Summary:<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n<strong>Arteriosclerosis<\/strong> is a natural consequence of aging, involving stiffening and narrowing of arteries, which increases blood pressure and impairs tissue perfusion.\r\n\r\nIn high-risk groups like <strong>diabetics,<\/strong> vessel wall damage accelerates this process, leading to significant cardiovascular and organ health issues.\r\n\r\nRecognizing these changes underscores the importance of managing risk factors for cardiovascular health.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;","rendered":"<p><strong>Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1><strong>Overview:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li>Disease of the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle.<\/li>\n<li>Also called\u00a0<strong>coronary heart disease<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>ischemic heart disease<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Main\u00a0<strong>clinical presentations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Angina pectoris<\/strong>\u00a0(chest pain due to ischemia).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Myocardial infarction (heart attack)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 complete blockage leading to tissue death.<\/li>\n<li>Can lead to\u00a0<strong>heart failure<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>arrhythmias<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong>Risk Factors:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hypertension.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Gender:<\/strong>\u00a0Males are at higher risk.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Race:<\/strong>\u00a0Caucasians may be more susceptible.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Genetics<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>lifestyle:<\/strong>\u00a0Obesity, smoking, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong> Definitions of Arteriosclerosis and Atherosclerosis:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Arteriosclerosis:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The\u00a0<strong>umbrella term<\/strong>\u00a0for the\u00a0<strong>hardening of arteries<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Encompasses various changes in arterial walls, including\u00a0<strong>atherosclerosis<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Atherosclerosis:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>A specific type of arteriosclerosis characterized by the buildup of\u00a0<strong>atheromatous plaques<\/strong>\u00a0(fatty deposits) within the arterial wall.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong> Pathophysiology of Arteriosclerosis:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li>Over time,\u00a0<strong>blood vessels<\/strong>\u00a0become\u00a0<strong>less capable of regeneration<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Elastic fibers<\/strong>\u00a0in arterial walls decrease with age:\n<ul>\n<li>Results in\u00a0<strong>stiffening<\/strong>\u00a0of arteries.<\/li>\n<li>Reduced elasticity causes\u00a0<strong>narrowing of the lumen<\/strong>\u00a0(the blood vessel opening).<\/li>\n<li>The lumen\u2019s narrowing impairs\u00a0<strong>vasodilation<\/strong>, making blood flow less adaptable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong> Effects of Vessel Stiffening &amp; Narrowing:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Increased resistance<\/strong>\u00a0causes\u00a0<strong>higher blood pressure<\/strong>\u00a0(hypertension).<\/li>\n<li>Progressive narrowing leads to\u00a0<strong>reduced blood flow<\/strong>\u00a0to tissues needing oxygen.<\/li>\n<li>Key tissues:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kidneys, brain, and heart:<\/strong>\u00a0Highly sensitive to\u00a0<strong>hypoxia<\/strong>\u00a0(low oxygen).<\/li>\n<li>Insufficient oxygen: can cause\u00a0<strong>dysfunction<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>tissue death<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong> Common Complications:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Increased blood pressure<\/strong>\u00a0with age, especially after 50+.<\/li>\n<li>In\u00a0<strong>diabetes<\/strong>, high blood sugar damages vessel walls:\n<ul>\n<li>Accelerates narrowing (damage to vessel walls).<\/li>\n<li>Can lead to\u00a0<strong>ischemia<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>organ dysfunction<\/strong>, and\u00a0<strong>amputations<\/strong>\u00a0(e.g., in feet).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong> Aging &amp; Vascular Changes:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li>Natural decline in elasticity causes\u00a0<strong>progressive narrowing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Lifestyle and disease (like diabetes) exacerbate the process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong>Consequence:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li>Progressive damage, leading to\u00a0<strong>conduction system damage<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>dysrhythmias<\/strong>, and\u00a0<strong>heart failure<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Early detection and management of risk factors are essential to prevent adverse outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong>Summary:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><strong>Arteriosclerosis<\/strong> is a natural consequence of aging, involving stiffening and narrowing of arteries, which increases blood pressure and impairs tissue perfusion.<\/p>\n<p>In high-risk groups like <strong>diabetics,<\/strong> vessel wall damage accelerates this process, leading to significant cardiovascular and organ health issues.<\/p>\n<p>Recognizing these changes underscores the importance of managing risk factors for cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1370,"menu_order":24,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["zoe-soon"],"pb_section_license":"cc-by-nc-sa"},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[60],"license":[57],"class_list":["post-5589","chapter","type-chapter","status-web-only","hentry","contributor-zoe-soon","license-cc-by-nc-sa"],"part":55,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1370"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5594,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5589\/revisions\/5594"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/55"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5589\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=5589"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=5589"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/pathophysiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=5589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}