What Is Heart Disease ?
Introduction: Heart Disease, commonly called Coronary Heart Disease or Ischemic Heart Disease is basically deposition of fatty material inside the tubes supplying the heart. These tubes called Coronary Arteries (named LAD, RCA and LCx) are mostly three in number and supply blood (with Oxygen) to the heart muscles. The fatty matter (mostly made of Cholesterol and Triglycerides) when accumulates more and more over the years-block the coronary arteries by more than 70-80% leading to shortage of blood (supplying oxygen) – specially on exertion or physical activity. This leads to symptoms of chest pain, breathlessness, chocking etc. called Angina. Though heart disease starts early the difficulties are only felt after decades as heart tubes have 70% extra capacity – 30% being the maximum requirement of the heart. The Angina symptoms become worse as the blocks reach 80-90%. The Coronary Arteries are two on the left side (LAD – Left Anterior Descending Artery and LCx -Left Circumflex) and one on the right side (RCA- Right Coronary Artery). LAD is the biggest of them supplying 50% area of the heart followed by RCA (30% area) and LCx (20% area). Coronary Heart Disease is the most common and fatal disease of the world today – causing about 30% of deaths across the world. This disease is not only preventable but also reversible.