Ischemic Heart Disease

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What is Ischemic Heart Disease?

Ischemic heart disease, sometimes called atherosclerotic heart disease, involves a lack of blood flow to the heart muscle caused by the arteries becoming clogged with fatty plaques. When an artery becomes completely plugged up, blood is unable to reach the part of the heart served by that artery, and that part of the heart muscle dies. This event is called a heart attack and requires immediate medical intervention.

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Risk Factors for Ischemic Heart Disease

There are several risk factors for developing ischemic heart disease.

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Some risk factors such as age, ethnicity, and family history are out of your control. But many risk factors for ischemic heart disease are at least partially in your control. These include high levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol), high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, smoking, heavy drinking or binge drinking, and a greater than ideal body weight. Together, you and your doctor can develop strategies to decrease your risk of ischemic heart disease.

Symptoms of Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease sometimes causes a pain in the chest area known as angina. But ischemic heart disease may also be "silent." That is, it may cause no symptoms at all, or it may cause mild or atypical symptoms that you and your doctor miss.

Even heart attack symptoms may not be completely obvious, especially for women. The most common symptom, of course, is crushing pain in the left side of the chest that radiates to the arm. However many women, and some men, experience atypical symptoms. They may have pain in their jaw, neck, or back. Some people feel no pain at all during a heart attack but may become dizzy, nauseous, or extremely fatigued.

If you suspect you are having a heart attack, call an ambulance and ask to be taken to the nearest cardiac care emergency room. Do not try to drive yourself as you might lose consciousness at the wheel of the car. Do not adopt a "wait and see" approach. The sooner you are in the hands of a competent cardiac care team, the better your chances of recovery.

During a heart attack, you may be treated with "clot busting" medications to try to open the clogged artery. You may also undergo cardiac catheterization, a procedure to check blood flow in the heart and to open up any passages that are blocked.

You can expect to go home from the hospital on several medications and a strict cardiac care regimen. Ischemic heart disease is an extremely serious health problem, but it can be successfully treated with the proper medications, diet, and lifestyle changes.

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