What is coronary heart disease?

Coronary heart disease is the abbreviation of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. It refers to a kind of heart disease, also known as ischemic heart disease, which is caused by severe atherosclerosis or spasm of the coronary artery supplying nutrients to the heart, so that the coronary artery is narrowed or blocked, and thrombosis causes lumen occlusion, resulting in myocardial ischemia and hypoxia. Coronary heart disease is the most common organ disease caused by atherosclerosis, and it is also a common disease that harms the health of middle-aged and elderly people. The occurrence of this disease is closely related to the degree and quantity of coronary artery stenosis, but a few young patients with coronary atherosclerosis can get sick even if they are not serious. There are also some elderly people with severe coronary atherosclerotic stenosis, but not all of them have clinical manifestations of coronary heart disease such as chest pain and palpitation. Therefore, the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease is very complicated. Generally speaking, it is organic, and coronary artery spasm also occurs in atherosclerotic coronary arteries.

If the following situations occur, you should seek medical advice in time to find coronary heart disease as soon as possible.

(1) Chest tightness or constrictive pain in the posterior sternum or precordial region occurs when you are tired or nervous, and it will be radiated to the left shoulder and left upper arm for 3-5 minutes, and then it will be relieved by itself after rest.

(2) Chest tightness, palpitation and shortness of breath during physical activity will be relieved automatically during rest.

(3) Headache, toothache and leg pain related to exercise.

(4) Chest pain and palpitation when having a full meal, catching a cold or watching a thrilling movie.

(5) Those who feel chest tightness and hold their breath when sleeping with a low pillow at night and need a high pillow to feel comfortable; Those who suddenly have chest pain, palpitation and dyspnea when sleeping or lying flat during the day and need to sit up or stand up immediately to relieve them.

(6) Palpitation, chest tightness, shortness of breath or chest pain during sexual life or forced defecation.

(7) People who feel flustered and chest tightness when hearing noise.

(8) Recurrent irregular pulse and unexplained tachycardia or bradycardia.

In order to find coronary heart disease as soon as possible, people over 40 should have regular physical examination; If the test results are abnormal or there are other risk factors of coronary heart disease, blood cholesterol should be tested once or more every five years. In addition, check your blood pressure and blood sugar once a year.

If you belong to the high-risk group of coronary heart disease, you should let your doctor decide whether you need an electrocardiogram. If further examination is needed, the doctor will arrange an exercise test to measure the electrocardiogram when stepping on a stationary bicycle or treadmill. Coronary angiography is the most reliable method to diagnose coronary heart disease.