• Coronary artery disease happens when your heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries.
• You’re at high risk of getting CAD if you have existing symptoms such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension) or diabetes.
• Plaque refers to the build-up cholesterol deposits and other substances in your artery.
• Coronary artery disease is also commonly known as Coronary Heart Disease and heart disease.

General symptoms

• Chest pain. Coronary arteries become blocked. I’ll give a similar feeling to indigestion
• Heart attacks.
•  Pain in other parts of the body. Chest to arms, jaw, neck, back or stomach
• Lightheadedness
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Breathlessness
• Fatigue. Feeling tired and lethargic even after full 8 hours of rest.

Risk factors

• Being overweight. When you’re overweight or obese, there’re a likelihood that your arteries are being blocked by cholesterol and other substances. Overweight individuals have excess visceral fat, which is fat that surrounds the internal organs such as heart and liver.
• High Cholesterol. With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to flow causing stroke.
• Diabetes or insulin resistance. Having diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves around the heart.
• High blood pressure can cause your arteries to be less elastic, decreasing blood and oxygen flow to your heart
•  Smoking
•  Family History. If your family members or relatives has a history of CAD, your risk of exposure is high.
• Physical inactivity
• Alcohol use. Heavy alcohol use can lead to heart muscle damage. It can also worsen other risk factors of coronary artery disease.

Decreasing Risk

• Quit smoking
• Increase physical activity. Not only will it help you lose weight, but staying active will prevent all other sorts of diseases
•  Maintaining a healthy weight
• Reduce and manage stress
• Eating healthier. Low-fat, low-salt diets and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Cut down on alcohol.
• Detoxification of the body. With food we consume, there’s a chance some excess will stay on your body (excess cholesterol), it is important to flush them out on a regular basis so your body remains clean.

Can coronary artery disease be cured?

• CAD can be treated but there is no cure. You will have to live with this disease for the rest of your life.
• Prevention is always better than cure, hence it is important to practice prevention and be aware of the risk factors.

Living with coronary artery disease

• The main objective is to prevent more plaque from building up in your arteries, reduce existing plaque and further limit blood vessel damage.
• It is a very tedious process when living with a disease, such as following a strict diet, exercising regularly, constant medications, keeping a close eye on cholesterol levels and blood pressure, maintaining weight and constant doctor’s appointment.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronary-heart-disease/
https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/coronary_ad.htm
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/obesity
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronary-artery-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350613
https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/living-with-coronary-artery-disease-cad