Coronary Heart Disease: A Useful Guide

Introduction

In the UK, 7.4 million people are living with heart or circulatory disease. Coronary heart disease is the most common of these conditions. In this article, we'll take a detailed look at this medical condition, discussing the symptoms and causes of coronary heart disease, as well as the main treatments available.

What is Coronary Heart Disease?

Coronary heart disease, or CHD, is caused by a process called atherosclerosis. This term refers to the build-up of a fatty substance called atheroma on the inner walls of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries supply your heart with oxygenated blood. If too much atheroma builds up in the arteries, they can become dangerously narrow, preventing your heart from receiving the oxygen-rich blood it needs. Sometimes, a piece of the built-up fatty substance can break off the artery wall, causing a blood clot to form. Blood clots are incredibly dangerous because they can cut off the supply of blood to your heart – this is otherwise known as a heart attack.

Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease

The symptoms of coronary heart disease develop gradually and vary from person to person. Some people may not even realise they have CHD before they have a heart attack. One of the main symptoms of CHD is angina, chest pain triggered by physical exertion or stress. Pain from angina can also be accompanied by breathlessness or feeling sick, but it usually eases within a few minutes if you rest. That said, you should make an urgent appointment with your GP if you experience an attack of chest pain, since without proper medical attention, angina and coronary heart disease can lead to heart failure or heart attacks.

Lots of people don't know the difference between heart failure and a heart attack. Heart failure is a weakening of the heart that prevents it from effectively pumping blood around the body. It can occur gradually or suddenly, and while it's usually not curable, proper treatment can help you manage it for many years. A heart attack, on the other hand, is when a blockage in a blood vessel cuts off the blood supply, starving the heart of oxygen. The symptoms of a heart attack are similar to those of angina, including chest pain, nausea, and breathlessness, but much more severe. Heart attacks are very serious and can be life-threatening, so if you suspect you may be having one, you should call 999 immediately.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, resulting in around 170,000 deaths each year in the UK.

Causes of Coronary Heart Disease

A variety of lifestyle factors can cause coronary heart disease. Behaviours like smoking and regular excessive drinking can increase your risk of developing the condition, as can physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. On the other hand, there are some factors which are out of our control. For example, men are more likely than women to suffer from coronary heart disease, and if you have a family history of CHD, you are more likely to develop it yourself. Your chances of developing CHD also increase with age, and you are more likely to experience symptoms of heart disease over the age of 50. According to the British Heart Foundation, heart and circulatory diseases cause more than 160,000 deaths each year in the UK, accounting for more than a quarter of all UK deaths.

Treatment for Coronary Heart Disease

Though there is no cure for CHD, medical treatment can minimise the risk of more severe symptoms like heart attacks. Treatment can also relieve the pain or discomfort of minor symptoms. The easiest way to alleviate CHD symptoms is to make simple lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity, giving up smoking, and eating more healthily.

There is also a wide range of medications available for CHD. Blood thinners can prevent the formation of blood clots, reducing your risk of a heart attack. Statins work by reducing your cholesterol, since the higher your cholesterol, the higher your chances of a heart attack. Beta blockers are often used to treat high blood pressure and can help prevent angina by slowing your heartbeat and improving blood flow.

In severe cases, doctors may recommend surgery to treat coronary heart disease, and there are several procedures available. Angioplasty involves inserting a stent, a mesh tube, into the artery to hold it open. It can be a routine procedure to treat angina or an emergency operation for someone who needs urgent care after a heart attack. Some artery blockages may instead require a bypass, where a doctor takes a blood vessel from another part of the body and attaches it to the coronary artery on either side of the blockage, allowing blood to flow effectively around it. In the most serious cases, a heart transplant may be necessary, where the diseased heart is removed and replaced with a healthy donor organ.

How Careline365 Can Help

If you are worried about your health, it might be worth considering one of our life-saving personal alarms. If you ever feel unwell or are concerned about your safety, you simply need to press the button on your device. This will connect you to our 24/7 Emergency Response Team, who will assess the situation and arrange assistance for you straight away. You can get a quote today, or call 0800 101 3333.

VAT Exemption

If you have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, you will be eligible for VAT exemption on your personal alarm system from Careline365. The vast majority of our customers qualify for VAT exemption due to a disability or long-term medical condition such as heart disease, hypertension, asthma, or arthritis.