Coronary heart disease

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Other risk factors including alcohol abuse, not getting enough exercise, and excessive amounts of stress.

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Symptoms

Chest pain or discomfort (angina) is the most common symptom. You feel this pain when the heart is not getting enough blood or oxygen. How bad the pain is varies from person to person.

It may feel heavy or like someone is squeezing your heart. You feel it under your breast bone (sternum), but also in your neck, arms, stomach, or upper back.

The pain usually occurs with activity or emotion, and goes away with rest or a medicine called nitroglycerin.

Other symptoms include shortness of breath and fatigue with activity (exertion).

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Tests

Many tests help diagnose CHD. Usually, your doctor will order more than one test before making a definite diagnosis.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Exercise stress test

Echocardiogram

Nuclear scan

Electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) to look for calcium in the lining of the arteries -- the more calcium, the higher your chance for CHD

CT angiography -- a noninvasive way to perform coronary angiography

Magnetic resonance angiography

Coronary angiography/arteriography -- an invasive procedure designed to evaluate the heart arteries under x-ray

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Prevention

Avoid or reduce stress as best as you can.

Don't smoke.

Eat well-balanced meals that are low in fat and cholesterol and include several daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

Get regular exercise. If your weight is considered normal, get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. If you are overweight or obese, experts say you should get 60 - 90 minutes of exercise every day.

Keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg if you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, and below 140/90 otherwise

Keep your cholesterol and blood sugar under control.

Moderate amounts of alcohol (one glass a day for women, two for men) may reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems. However, drinking larger amounts does more harm than good.

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Angina

Angina is a type of chest discomfort caused by poor blood flow through the blood vessels (coronary vessels) of the heart muscle (myocardium).

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Treatment

After having a heart attack, or if you develop angina, you will usually be prescribed heart medicines to help stop your heart disease getting worse or to prevent further heart attacks. Some examples are listed below. Always read the patient information that comes with your medicine, and follow your doctor's advice.