Coronary Heart Disease

People who smoke and are also diabetic are at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease.

In this article:

What is coronary heart disease?

Symptoms

Causes

Diagnosis

Treatment

Advice & Support

What is coronary heart disease?
When your heart's blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of unwanted fatty substances and cholesterol in your coronary arteries, coronary heart disease can develop. As the arteries become clogged up, the heart’s blood supply is seriously affected and so therefore the heart no longer functions properly. This causes the onset of a range of symptoms which for many people can be frightening.

Symptoms
Symptoms of coronary heat disease include:

An unusual shortness of breath when carrying out even light tasks. This can occur gradually as you perform the task(s), or there can be a sudden onset of breathlessness

Increased heart rate which can escalate to the level of rapid and worryingly forceful palpitations

Chest pain

Tightness in the chest

Fatigue and a feeling or faintness

Dizziness

Sweating

Causes
As we have seen, coronary heart disease is caused by a build up of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries. This build up causes the arteries to narrow and lose their elasticity.

You may be at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease if you:

Smoke

Consume alcohol to excessive levels

Have high blood-pressure

Have a high cholesterol level

Suffer from diabetes

Have a thrombosis

Maintain a poor diet (which is low in fruit and vegetables)

Have a high salt intake

Are overweight

Do not exercise regularly

Diagnosis
If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms and feel you may be developing coronary heart disease, make an appointment to see your GP. After taking your medical history, they will ask you some questions and then carry out a range of tests before referring you to a heart specialist.

Note: Some people may also have a genetic predisposition to developing coronary heart disease. This means that there is ‘family history’ of it.

Treatment
Treatment for coronary heart disease can differ according to the severity of your disease. These treatments include:

Prescribed medications, such as low-dose aspirin, anticoagulants, statins and Beta-blockers. These are prescribed to help ease symptoms, prevent blood from clotting, and to reduce cholesterol.

Surgery – A coronary artery bypass operation or angioplasty, to help ease symptoms, but not cure your coronary heart disease. The intention is to try to achieve improved blood flow to and from your heart.

Heart transplant – A full ‘heart replacement’ with a healthy heart from a matching donor

How Chemist Online can help
Through this website we have a range of treatments available to buy which can help you to maintain a healthy heart.


www.chemistonline.co.uk


Advice & Support
British Heart Foundation
Tel: 08450 70 80 70 (Helpline)
Website: www.bhf.org.uk

Heart UK
Tel: 0845 450 5988 (Helpline)
Website: www.heartuk.org.uk


This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.





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