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Coronary Heart Disease and Treatment

[b]CHD = Coronary Heart Disease[/b] [h3]What is Coronary Heart Disease?[/h3] [ul] [li]Coronary heart disease is when your heart's blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries.[/li] [li]Over time, the walls of your arteries can become furred up with fatty deposits.[/li] [li]This process is known as [b]atherosclerosis[/b] and the fatty deposits are called [b]atheroma[/b]. [space][space][space][space][space]Atherosclerosis can be caused by lifestyle factors and other conditions, such as: [ul] [li]smoking[/li] [li]high cholesterol[/li] [li]high blood pressure[/li] [li]diabetes[/li] [/ul] [/li] [/ul] [h3]Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease[/h3] Due to the blockages in one's arteries, one may experience chest pain ([b]angina[/b]). This can be a mild, uncomfortable feeling similar to indigestion. Another more serious symptom, is a Heart Attack, which is fatal if not treated straight away. It is generally similar to angina (but more severe), and will not go away with simple medication. Heart failure can also occur in people with CHD when the heart becomes too weak to pump blood around the body. This can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. [h3]Diagnosis (Detection) of CHD[/h3] CHD can be detected through one of the following methods: [link target='_blank' href="http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/MRI-scan/Pages/Introduction.aspx"]MRI scan[/link][link target='_blank' href="http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ct-scan/pages/introduction.aspx"]CT scan[/link][link target='_blank' href="http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/CoronaryAngiography/Pages/Introduction.aspx"]Coronary Angiography[/link] [h3]Treatment[/h3] Coronary heart disease can't be cured but treatment can help manage the symptoms and reduce the chances of problems such as heart attacks. Treatment can include lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and stopping smoking, as well as medication and surgery. [h3]Prevention[/h3] You can reduce your risk of getting CHD by making some simple lifestyle changes. These include: [ul] [li]Eating a healthy balanced diet[/li] [li]Being physically active[/li] [li]Giving up smoking[/li] [li]Controlling blood cholesterol, and sugar levels[/li] [/ul]