We can help! This week, PacificSource Nurse Jen Clason and PacificSource Nurse Case Manager Kat Lastra are gearing up to answer your questions for our coronary artery disease AMA (Ask Me Anything) video!

First, we asked a few questions.

To give you an idea of what coronary artery disease is, we asked Jen and Kat some basic questions.

What is coronary artery disease?

Jen: Coronary arteries are the major blood vessels that supply your heart with blood, oxygen, and nutrients. Coronary Artery Disease, or CAD, develops when the coronary arteries become damaged or diseased.

Inflammation and cholesterol-containing deposits in your arteries are usually to blame for coronary artery disease. These deposits are often called “plaque.” As the plaques develop, they can reduce—or even block—blood flow to parts of the heart.

How does one get coronary artery disease?

Jen: A lot of factors can contribute to a person developing CAD. Some risk factors are out of our control, such as family history, older age, and gender. Men and women can both develop CAD, but men are more likely to get it, and women tend to develop it about 7-10 years later in life than men.

Other risk factors include having poorly controlled diabetes, smoking, lack of physical exercise, high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels (a type of fat found in the blood), stress, high blood pressure, obesity, poor diet, and excessive use of alcohol.

Kat: The good news is that even if you’re at risk, you can do many things to decrease the buildup of plaque in your arteries.

What are the general symptoms of coronary artery disease?

Kat: It’s important to know that you can have no symptoms.

Jen: That’s right. CAD usually develops slowly, over years or even decades, and symptoms don’t usually show up until the disease has progressed to the point that it is reducing or blocking blood flow to parts of the heart. Symptoms at that point might include chest pain, shortness of breath, or even a heart attack.

Kat: In addition to the symptoms Jen mentioned, some people might also have indigestion, nausea, dizziness, or sweating. Another common symptom is a fast heart rate or a flip-flop feeling in your chest.

How common is coronary artery disease?

Kat: CAD is the most common type of heart disease, killing more than 370,000 people annually. Sadly, it leads to heart disease, which kills about 610,000 people per year. That’s 1 in every 4 deaths. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women.

What can one do to prevent coronary artery disease?

Jen: The best way to help prevent CAD is to reduce the number of risk factors. If you have diabetes or prediabetes, work to keep your blood sugars within a normal range. Avoid drinking excessive alcohol.

Eat a heart-healthy diet that’s rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein. Also, work with your doctor to determine how to best control high blood pressure and high cholesterol or triglycerides, if those are issues for you.

Kat: Yes, lifestyle changes are key.  Exercise and do your best to keep yourself at a healthy weight. Remember that while smoking hurts your lungs, it also hurts your heart. So if you smoke, try to quit.

If you have high blood pressure, be sure to take your medicine and follow a strict diet. It’s also good to talk with your doctor about whether or not you should take aspirin daily.

Jen: And, this is super important—stress less!

Now it’s your turn!

This is your opportunity to ask Jen and Kat questions about coronary artery disease. They’ll answer your questions on video, and we’ll post the video on this blog on Friday, February 28.

So, how do I ask questions?

Scroll down to the comment section, and leave your question as a comment.