Coronary heart disease
করোনারি হৃদরোগ
Common Symptoms
Emergency Warning Signs
Phone 999 straightaway if you or someone nearby has any of these symptoms:
- chest pain or discomfort in the centre of the chest that does not go away, felt as pressure, tightness or squeezing
- pain spreading down the left arm, or down both arms, or into the neck, jaw, back or stomach
- loss of consciousness
- seizures or fitting
- trouble breathing, with snoring or rasping sounds
- a racing heartbeat
- a heartbeat that is very slow or cannot be felt at all
- chest pain along with breathlessness, nausea, sweating or coughing up blood
- you believe you or someone else may be having a heart attack
People with coronary heart disease (CHD) can sometimes go on to develop heart failure. This happens when the heart grows too weak to pump blood around the body properly, and fluid can then build up in the lungs, making breathing harder and harder.
Microvascular angina is a different problem, affecting the tiny blood vessels that carry blood to the heart. It happens when these small vessels either fail to open up properly to let blood through, or narrow so severely that they block blood flow to the heart. The main symptom is chest pain, which can come on at any time, and lifestyle changes are often enough to ease it.
You can read more about microvascular angina, and about how heart disease affects women in particular, in the sections below.
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
Call 999 if:
You or someone else has symptoms like:
- central chest pain, or discomfort in the chest that doesn't go away (it may feel like pressure, tightness or squeezing)
- pain that spreads down the left arm, or both arms, or to the neck, jaw, back or stomach
- unconsciousness
- seizures or fits
- difficulty breathing (snoring or rasping)
- a rapid heart beat
- a low or undetectable heart beat
- chest pain and breathlessness, nausea, sweating or coughing up blood
What is coronary heart disease?
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the term for what happens when blood flow to the heart is reduced or interrupted. You may also hear it called ischaemic heart disease.
Most often, the reduced or blocked blood flow is caused by atherosclerosis. This is when a fatty material called atheroma builds up inside the coronary arteries. The arteries can become narrower as a result, and less blood gets through.
If a piece of atheroma breaks off, it can block the artery and cut off the blood supply to the heart. This is known as a heart attack.
Further information is available about the diagnosis, treatment and management of:
- a heart attack
- angina
Read more: Heart attack · Angina
Symptoms of coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease can show itself in a few different ways. The main symptoms are:
- chest pain (angina)
- shortness of breath
- pain throughout the body
- feeling faint
- feeling sick (nausea)
Read more: Angina
Call 999 if:
- you think you or someone else is having a heart attack
Heart failure can sometimes happen in people with coronary heart disease (CHD). The heart becomes too weak to pump blood around the body. Fluid can then build up in the lungs, and breathing gets harder and harder.
Microvascular angina is a problem with the tiny blood vessels that supply blood to your heart. It may happen when these tiny vessels:
- can't open up properly to let your blood flow
- severely narrow, blocking blood flow to the heart
The main symptom of microvascular angina is chest pain, and you may feel it at any time. Lifestyle changes can often improve the symptoms.
Read more: Heart attack · Heart failure
Diagnosing coronary heart disease
Doctors can use several different tests to diagnose coronary heart disease, including:
- CT coronary angiography (CTCA)
- coronary angiography
- electrocardiogram (ECG)
- thallium scan (myocardial perfusion scintigraphy)
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Risk factors for coronary heart disease
Several things raise your risk of heart disease. You can do something about some of them, but others are out of your hands.
Risk factors you cannot control
There are some risk factors for coronary heart disease that you can't change. These are:
- age
- family history of heart disease or stroke
- ethnicity
- being post-menopausal
Lifestyle risk factors
Certain lifestyle factors can also raise your risk of coronary heart disease. These are sometimes called controllable risk factors, because you can do something about them. Your diet, how active you are and whether you smoke are all examples.
You can make changes to reduce your risk of heart disease, including:
- eating a balanced diet
- weight management
- keeping active and exercising regularly
- stopping smoking
Health conditions
Some other health conditions can also raise your risk of heart disease if you've been diagnosed with them. These include:
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- high cholesterol
- type 2 diabetes
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis
Read more: High cholesterol · Type 2 diabetes · Rheumatoid arthritis