LifeBridge Health   |  Find a Physician  |  Careers  |  Directions  |  Community Calendar  |  Contact
Physician Portal  |  Board Portal
Call 410-601-WELL (9355) to Schedule an Appointment



  • Medical Services
    LifeBridge Health Medical Services

    Bariatric & Minimally Invasive Surgery
    Brain & Spine Institute
    Cancer Institute
    Cardiovascular Institute
    ER-7 Emergency Center
    Hospitalist Program
    Krieger Eye Institute
    Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    Radiology
    Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics
    Sleep Centers
    Spine Centers
    Vascular Institute

    Additional Services

      Sinai Hospital Medical Services

    Adult Hydrocephalus
    Brain & Spine Institute
    Cancer Institute
    Cardiovascular Institute
    Children's Hospital
    ER-7 Emergency Center
    Geriatric Surgery
    Joint Preservation and Replacement
    Krieger Eye Institute
    Limb Lengthening
    Rehabilitation
    Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics
    Sleep Center
    Stroke Center
    Vascular Institute
    Women's Services

    Additional Services

      Northwest Hospital Medical Services

    Bariatric & Minimally Invasive Surgery
    Brain & Spine Institute

    Breast Care Center
    Cancer Institute
    Cardiovascular Institute
    Center for Diabetic Limb Preservation
    Cosmetic Surgery
    ER-7 Emergency Center
    Krieger Eye Institute
    Psychiatric Services
    Sleep Center
    Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics
    SurgiCenter
    Vascular Institute
    Women's Wellness Center
    Wound Care & HBOT

    Additional Services

  • About LifeBridge Health
    About LifeBridge Health

    About LifeBridge Health
    Annual Report 2016
    At a Glance (PDF)
    FAQs
    Freedom To Be Green
    LifeBridge Health Magazine
    LifeBridge Health Medical Care Partners
    Medical Missions at LifeBridge Health
    Population Health


    LifeBridge Health Departments

    Department of Research
    Government and Community Relations


      LifeBridge Health Management

    LifeBridge Health Board of Directors
    LifeBridge Health Management Team

      About Our Centers

    LifeBridge Health
    Sinai Hospital
    Northwest Hospital
    Carroll Hospital
    Levindale


    About LifeBridge Health
  • Locations
    LifeBridge Health Locations

    Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Northwest Hospital Carroll Hospital Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital LifeBridge health & Fitness
    Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Northwest Hospital Carroll Hospital
    Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital LifeBridge Health
    & Fitness

    Additional Centers

    LifeBridge Health  Practice Dynamics, Inc, PDI  VSP  ExpressCare  

    LifeBridge Health

    Practice Dynamics, Inc. (PDI)

    VSP
     
    ExpressCare
     
  • Giving & Volunteering
    Giving Opportunities

    LifeBridge Health Development
        Contact Us
        Development News
        Donate Now
        Grateful Patient Stories
        Special Events
        Ways to Give
            Get In The Game - Employee Giving Campaign

      Volunteering

    Volunteer at Sinai Hospital
    Volunteer at Northwest Hospital
    Volunteer at Carroll Hospital
    Volunteer at Levindale

    Giving and Volunteering at LifeBridge Health
  • Patient Information
    Sinai Hospital
    Patient Information


    Accommodations
    Campus Map
    Dining - Patient Room Menus
    Dining - Retail
    Directions
    FAQs
    The Hackerman-Patz House
    Important Phone Numbers
    Parking
    Outpatient Pharmacy
    Retail Shops
    Visiting Hours
    Wireless Internet

    For more Sinai Hospital
    patient and visitor information,
    click here.

     

    Northwest Hospital
    Patient Information


    Accommodations
    Campus Map
    Dining - Patient Room Menus
    Dining - Retail
    Directions
    FAQs
    Gift Shop
    Important Phone Numbers
    Parking
    Outpatient Pharmacy
    Visiting Hours
    Wireless Internet


    For more Northwest Hospital
    patient and visitor information,
    click here.


     

    Carroll Hospital
    Patient Information


    Accommodations
    Campus Map
    Dining
    Directions
    FAQs
    Gift Shop
    Important Phone Numbers
    Parking
    Visiting Hours




    For more Carroll Hospital
    patient and visitor information,
    click here.


     

    My LifeBridge Health
    Patient Portal


    Click to access the portal

    My LifeBridge Health Patient Portal  
  • Resources
    LifeBridge Health Resources

    Apps
    Awards
    Blog
    Care Management Services
    Community Calendar
    Contact Us
    Important Information
    Health Library
    Healthstream
    Infographics
    Insurance Plans Accepted
    Laboratory Locations
    LifeBridge Health Partners
    LifeBridge Health Magazine
    Maryland Health Connection
    My LifeBridge Health Patient Portal
    Newsletter Archive & Signup
    News Room
    Outpatient Pharmacy
    Population Health
    Recorded Webinars




    Sitemap
    Social Media
    Vendor Resources
    WBAL-AM Videos

      Contact Us

    Sinai Hospital: 410-601-9000
    Northwest Hospital: 410-521-2200
    Carroll Hospital: 410-848-3000
    Levindale: 410-601-2400
    LifeBridge Health & Fitness: 410-484-6800


    Additional Resources at LifeBridge Health

 

In This Section
en espanol
Cirugías y procedimientos
Recursos en Internet
Videoteca
Library
Adult Conditions
Tests and Procedures
Herbs, Vitamins & Supplements
Nutrition Facts
Prevention Guidelines
Wellness Library
Multimedia
Animations
Podcasts
Clinical Wizards
Videos
Healthy Living
Back and Neck
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
Fitness
Mental Health
Nutrition
Smoking Cessation
Stress Management
Weight Management
Health Centers
Neuroscience
Asthma
Cancer
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Diabetes
Heart Disease
Obesity & Bariatric Surgery
Orthopedic
Pregnancy and Newborns
Your Family
Children's Health
Men's Health
Older Adults
Women's Health
Interactive Tools
Quizzes
footer
FIND A PHYSICIAN
line
ONLINE APPOINTMENT REQUEST
line
MY LBH PATIENT PORTAL
line
VISITOR & PATIENT INFORMATION
line
CONTACT US
line
PAY YOUR BILL ONLINE
Home >> Health Library >> Coronary Heart Disease
Printer Friendly Version  Email A Friend  Add This  Increase Text Size  Decrease Text Size

StayWell Health Library

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Health Library
Library
Adult Conditions
Tests and Procedures
Herbs, Vitamins & Supplements
Nutrition Facts
Prevention Guidelines
Wellness Library
Healthy Living
Back and Neck
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
Fitness
Mental Health
Nutrition
Smoking Cessation
Stress Management
Weight Management
Health Centers
Neuroscience
Asthma
Cancer
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Diabetes
Heart Disease
Obesity & Bariatric Surgery
Orthopedic
Pregnancy and Newborns
Your Family
Children's Health
Men's Health
Older Adults
Women's Health


< Back to Results

Coronary Heart Disease

What are the coronary arteries?

Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. Like all other tissues in the body, the heart muscle needs oxygen-rich blood to function, and oxygen-depleted blood must be carried away. The coronary arteries run along the outside of the heart and have small branches that supply blood to the heart muscle.

What are the different coronary arteries?

Exterior of the heart and coronary arteries
Click image to enlarge

The 2 main coronary arteries are the left main and right coronary arteries.

  • Left main coronary artery (LMCA). The left main coronary artery supplies blood to the left side of the heart muscle (the left ventricle and left atrium). The left main coronary artery divides into branches:

    • The left anterior descending artery branches off the left coronary artery and supplies blood to the front of the left side of the heart.

    • The circumflex artery branches off the left coronary artery and encircles the heart muscle. This artery supplies blood to the lateral side and back of the heart.

  • Right coronary artery (RCA). The right coronary artery supplies blood to the right ventricle, the right atrium, and the SA (sinoatrial) and AV (atrioventricular) nodes, which regulate the heart rhythm. The right coronary artery divides into smaller branches, including the right posterior descending artery and the acute marginal artery.

Additional smaller branches of the coronary arteries include the obtuse marginal (OM), septal perforator (SP), and diagonals.

Why are the coronary arteries important?

Since coronary arteries deliver blood to the heart muscle, any coronary artery disorder or disease can reduce the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart, which may lead to a heart attack and possibly death. Atherosclerosis is inflammation and a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery causing it to narrow or become blocked. It is the most common cause of heart disease.

Normal heart and arteries, as well as plaque buildup in the arterial wall
Click image to enlarge

What is coronary artery disease?

Coronary heart disease, or coronary artery disease (CAD), is characterized by inflammation and the buildup of and fatty deposits along the innermost layer of the coronary arteries. The fatty deposits may develop in childhood and continue to thicken and enlarge throughout the life span. This thickening, called atherosclerosis, narrows the arteries and can decrease or block the flow of blood to the heart.

The American Heart Association estimates that over 16 million Americans suffer from coronary artery disease--the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S.

What are the risk factors for coronary artery disease?

Risk factors for CAD often include:

  • Smoking

  • High LDL cholesterol, high triglycerides levels, and low HDL cholesterol

  • High blood pressure (hypertension)

  • Physical inactivity

  • Obesity

  • High saturated fat diet

  • Diabetes

  • Family history

Controlling risk factors is the key to preventing illness and death from CAD.

What are the symptoms of coronary artery disease?

The symptoms of coronary heart disease will depend on the severity of the disease. Some people with CAD have no symptoms, some have episodes of mild chest pain or angina, and some have more severe chest pain.

If too little oxygenated blood reaches the heart, a person will experience chest pain called angina. When the blood supply is completely cut off, the result is a heart attack, and the heart muscle begins to die. Some people may have a heart attack and never recognize the symptoms. This is called a "silent" heart attack.

Symptoms of coronary artery disease include:

  • Heaviness, tightness, pressure, or pain in the chest behind the breastbone

  • Pain spreading to the arms, shoulders, jaw, neck, or back

  • Shortness of breath

  • Weakness and fatigue

How is coronary artery disease diagnosed?

In addition to a complete medical history and physical exam, tests for coronary artery disease may include the following:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This test records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias), and detects heart muscle damage.

  • Stress test (also called treadmill or exercise ECG). This test is given while you walk on a treadmill to monitor the heart during exercise. Breathing and blood pressure rates are also monitored. A stress test may be used to detect coronary artery disease, or to determine safe levels of exercise after a heart attack or heart surgery. This can also be done while resting using special medicines that can synthetically place stress on the heart.

  • Cardiac catheterization. With this procedure, a wire is passed into the coronary arteries of the heart and  X-rays are taken after a contrast agent is injected into an artery. It's done to locate the narrowing, blockages, and other problems.

  • Nuclear scanning. Radioactive material is injected into a vein and then is observed using a camera as it is taken up by the heart muscle. This indicates the healthy and damaged areas of the heart.

Treatment for coronary heart disease

Treatment may include:

  • Modification of risk factors. Risk factors that you can change include smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood glucose levels, lack of exercise, poor dietary habits, being overweight, and high blood pressure.

  • Medicines. Medicine that may be used to treat coronary artery disease include:

    • Antiplatelets. These decrease blood clotting. Aspirin, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, and prasugrel are examples of antiplatelets.

    • Antihyperlipidemics. These lower lipids (fats) in the blood, particularly low density lipid (LDL) cholesterol. Statins are a group of cholesterol-lowering medicines, and include simvastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin, among others. Bile acid sequestrants--colesevelam, cholestyramine and colestipol--and nicotinic acid (niacin) are other medicines used to reduce cholesterol levels.

    • Antihypertensives. These lower blood pressure. Several different groups of medicines work in different ways to lower blood pressure.

  • Coronary angioplasty. With this procedure, a balloon is used to create a bigger opening in the vessel to increase blood flow. Although angioplasty is done in other blood vessels elsewhere in the body, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) refers to angioplasty in the coronary arteries to permit more blood flow into the heart. PCI is also called percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). There are several types of PCI procedures, including:

    • Balloon angioplasty. A small balloon is inflated inside the blocked artery to open the blocked area.

    • Coronary artery stent. A tiny mesh coil is expanded inside the blocked artery to open the blocked area and is left in place to keep the artery open.

    • Atherectomy. The blocked area inside the artery is cut away by a tiny device on the end of a catheter.

    • Laser angioplasty. A laser used to "vaporize" the blockage in the artery.

  • Coronary artery bypass. Most commonly referred to as simply "bypass surgery" or CABG (pronounced "cabbage"), this surgery is often done in people who have chest pain (angina) and coronary artery disease. During the surgery, a bypass is created by grafting a piece of a vein above and below the blocked area of a coronary artery, enabling blood to flow around the blockage. Veins are usually taken from the leg, but arteries from the chest or arm may also be used to create a bypass graft. Sometimes, multiple bypasses may be needed to fully restore blood flow to all regions of the heart.

LifeBridge Health | Sinai Hospital | Northwest Hospital | Carroll Hospital | Levindale | LifeBridge Health & Fitness

 

LifeBridge Health
2401 W. Belvedere Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215
Contact Us: 410-601-9000

Directions

    LifeBridge Health Map - Click here for directions.

Join LifeBridge Health on: Facebook Twitter YouTube LBH Blog LinkedIn Instagram

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter

Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices  |  Transportation Policy |
Nondiscrimination Notice and Foreign Language Assistance

Loading... Loading...