Strong Heart and Vascular Center

Coronary Artery Disease

Adequate Blood Supply is Vital

When the heart tissue does not receive an adequate blood supply, it cannot function as well as it should, which can lead to coronary artery disease. If the myocardium's blood supply is decreased for a length of time, a condition called ischemia may develop. Ischemia can decrease the heart's pumping ability, because the heart muscle is weakened due to a lack of food and oxygen. Think about how you may feel when you go too long without eating—you may become tired and feel weak. The heart muscle reacts in a similar way when its blood flow (food) is decreased.

Symptoms and Signs of Coronary Artery Disease

Unfortunately, you may not have any symptoms of beginning coronary artery disease, yet the disease will continue to progress until sufficient artery blockage exists to cause symptoms and problems. Some symptoms of coronary artery disease include chest pain, fatigue, palpitations, and shortness of breath. If the blood supply to the heart muscle continues to decrease as a result of increasing obstruction of a coronary artery, a myocardial infarction, or heart attack, may occur. If the blood flow cannot be restored to the particular area of the heart muscle affected, the tissue may actually die, just as you could die without food.

The Solution

Fortunately, the technology is available to restore blood flow to heart tissue when the coronary artery blockages are diagnosed. One of several diagnostic procedures used to diagnose and evaluate coronary artery disease is cardiac catheterization.

Learn more about coronary artery disease.