What is Coronary Artery Disease?
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By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD
Coronary artery disease is another term used for atherosclerotic heart disease, a condition caused by a narrowing, hardening and furring of the walls of the coronary arteries.
The coronary arteries supply oxygen and nutrients to the muscles of the heart called the myocardium. Coronary artery disease is also often called coronary heart disease (CHD). However, CHD actually has several causes, one of which is coronary artery disease.
Two conditions called arteriosclerosis and atheromatosis cause a stiffening and narrowing of the arteries and both of these occur in atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is a generalized thickening and stiffening of the arterial wall and is related to high blood pressure or hypertension. Aretriosclerosis can affect any of the main arteries in the peripheral organs, kidneys, limbs, brain or heart.
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