Overview

What is coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease.This condition occurs when the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle, gradually become narrowed or blocked by plaque deposits. Poor blood flow can “starve” the heart muscle and lead to chest pain, also known as angina. A heart attack (also called myocardial infarction, or MI) occurs when an area of heart muscle is completely deprived of blood and the heart muscle cells die. This usually happens when a blood clot forms over a ruptured plaque within a coronary artery.

What causes CAD?
CAD, or coronary artery disease, is caused by the buildup of plaque within an area in one or more of the arteries supplying the heart with nutrients and oxygen. These arteries are called coronary arteries. Conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking damage the artery walls and initiate plaque formation. Plaque is made up of excess cholesterol and other substances that float in your blood and, over time, become lodged within the walls of the coronary arteries. This disease process is called atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries and can affect other arteries supplying the brain and legs.

I thought CAD is a disease that affects men. Does CAD affect men and women equally?
CAD is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for men and women. In fact, approximately 500,000 women die each year due to CAD. Unfortunately, the number of women dying annually from CAD remains constant compared to men, where the death rate is declining.Young women, less than 55 years of age, are twice as likely to die after a heart attack and their risk of dying after hospitalization is still about 50% higher than men.Within 6 years of a heart attack 35% of women, compared to 18% of men, will experience another heart attack.