Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common heart condition that affects about 20 million adults in the United States. It develops when your coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart, become narrowed or blocked due to plaque buildup — a mix of cholesterol, minerals, and other substances.
Over time, this restriction reduces blood flow to your heart and increases your risk of heart attack and other severe complications. Anyone can get CAD, and understanding its symptoms and your personal risk factors is key to maintaining your best possible heart health.
Kunal Patel, MD, and our team at NJ Cardiovascular Institute specialize in heart disease care in Elizabeth, Lakewood, Paramus, and Secaucus, New Jersey, and in this blog post, we share some of the most important facts you should know about CAD and its symptoms.
CAD can be dangerous, because it doesn’t always present with obvious symptoms — especially in its early stages. That means you could have it without knowing it, and you could be at risk for developing more serious complications.
As CAD progresses and your coronary arteries become narrower, more obvious symptoms can develop. These may include:
Chest pain is one of the most common signs of CAD. It may feel like pressure, tightness, or a squeezing sensation in your chest. Usually, chest pain caused by CAD is triggered by physical exertion or stress and relieved by rest.
If your heart struggles to pump blood efficiently, you may have difficulty catching your breath during everyday activities.
Reduced blood flow to your heart can leave you feeling unusually tired or weak.
Sometimes, people with CAD may experience pain in their neck, jaw, back, or arms, or nausea and dizziness.
It’s important to note that not everyone with CAD experiences noticeable symptoms, and some people may have a heart attack as the first sign of the condition. Women, in particular, might have more subtle symptoms, like fatigue, nausea, or back pain, rather than classic chest pain.
For many people, the symptoms of CAD are subtle or nonexistent. That means understanding your risk factors for CAD is crucial, so you can get the heart care you need to to avoid serious complications before they happen.
Your risk of CAD goes up as you get older, and men are generally at higher risk earlier in life. A family history of heart disease can also raise your likelihood of developing CAD.
Smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise all contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries and increase your risk of CAD. Certain health conditions, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity also increase your risk.
By identifying your risk factors early, you can take steps to manage them and improve your overall heart health.
You don’t have to wait for a serious medical event like a heart attack to start taking better care of your health. If you have risk factors or experience symptoms of CAD, get your heart health evaluated by a medical professional.
Dr. Patel and our team offer comprehensive heart testing to diagnose CAD and other heart issues. We might perform tests like an electrocardiogram (EKG), stress test, or advanced imaging to assess your heart function.
From there, we work with you to create a personalized care plan that might include lifestyle changes or medications. In some cases we need to perform interventional procedures — for example, if you already have advanced CAD and we need to improve blood flow to your heart.
Taking a proactive approach to CAD doesn’t just prevent complications — it can significantly improve your quality of life. If you’re concerned about your risk for CAD or you’re experiencing symptoms, don’t wait. Call us at 201-866-7000 to schedule an appointment with our team or send us a message online to learn more.
