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Summary
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death in the United States in both men and women.
CAD happens when the arteries that supply blood to heart muscle become hardened and narrowed. This is due to the buildup of cholesterol and other material, called plaque, on their inner walls. This buildup is called atherosclerosis. As it grows, less blood can flow through the arteries. As a result, the heart muscle can't get the blood or oxygen it needs. This can lead to chest pain (angina) or a heart attack. Most heart attacks happen when a blood clot suddenly cuts off the hearts' blood supply, causing permanent heart damage.
Over time, CAD can also weaken the heart muscle and contribute to heart failure and arrhythmias. Heart failure means the heart can't pump blood well to the rest of the body. Arrhythmias are changes in the normal beating rhythm of the heart.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Diagnosis and Tests
- Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
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Heart Health Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- hs-CRP Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Intravascular Ultrasound (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
- LDL Particle Testing (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Lipid Panel (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Screening for Coronary Heart Disease with Electrocardiography (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Cardiac Risk Assessment (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
-
How to Prevent Heart Disease: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
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Angioplasty: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Cardiac Procedures and Surgeries (American Heart Association)
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Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Coronary Artery Disease: Angioplasty or Bypass Surgery? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
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What Is a Stent?
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Living With
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Cardiac Rehabilitation: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- What You Need to Know If You Have Coronary Artery Disease (American Heart Association)
Related Issues
- Drug-Eluting Stents: Do They Increase Heart Attack Risk? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Vulnerable Plaque (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
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What Is Coronary Microvascular Disease?
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Specifics
- Acute Coronary Syndrome (American Heart Association)
- Myocardial Ischemia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
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What Is Atherosclerosis?
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish
Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: Werner syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
Videos and Tutorials
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Coronary artery disease
(Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
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Transradial Approach for Cardiac Catheterization: The New Frontier of Coronary Intervention
(BroadcastMed) - University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 6/26/2014
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Coronary Artery Disease
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Impact of coronary plaque geometry on plaque vulnerability and its...
- Article: Modified double-stent strategy may be an optimal choice for coronary...
- Article: Calcium Scoring for Cardiovascular Computed Tomography: How, When and Why?
- Coronary Artery Disease -- see more articles
- Coronary thrombosis -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Coronary Arteries (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
- Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia (American Heart Association)
- Heart Information Center (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
-
How the Heart Works
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Women
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Heart Disease in Women: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Seniors
- Heart Attack Coronary Artery Disease (American Geriatrics Society)
Patient Handouts
- Acute coronary syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Angioplasty and stent - heart - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Angioplasty and stent placement - heart (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Coronary angiography (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Coronary artery spasm (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Coronary heart disease (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish