Coronary Artery Disease - Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is a common term for the 斑块的形成 in the heart’s arteries that could lead to heart attack or ischemic stroke. But what about coronary artery disease? Is there a difference?

The short answer is often no — health care professionals frequently use the terms interchangeably. However, coronary heart disease, or CHD, is actually a result of coronary artery disease, or CAD.

与计算机辅助设计, plaque first grows within the walls of the 冠状动脉 until the blood flow to the heart’s muscle is limited, which prevents the heart muscle from receiving enough oxygen. 这也被称为 缺血. 可能是慢性的, the gradual narrowing of the coronary artery over time, reducing the blood supply to part of the muscle. Or it can be acute, resulting from a sudden rupture of a plaque and the formation of a blood clot. For most people, plaque buildup starts in childhood and gets worse as they get older. 

View an illustration of 冠状动脉.

The traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease are high 低密度脂蛋白胆固醇、低 高密度脂蛋白胆固醇, 高血压，家族史; 糖尿病, 吸烟 和肥胖. In men, the risk increases after age 45. In women, the risk increases after 55.

Research shows that children and youth are increasingly at risk for CAD. So, preventive measures taken early in life can have greater lifetime benefits. Healthy lifestyles will delay the progression of CAD, and there is hope that it can be improved before it causes further health problems. 

Living a healthy lifestyle that combines 良好的营养, 体重管理 and getting plenty of 体育活动 can play a big role in avoiding CAD.