Coronary Heart Disease Symptoms and Staying Heart-Healthy

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent form of heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in the world. Millions of individuals are diagnosed with CHD every year. CHD occurs when the coronary arteries, which provide the heart with oxygenated blood, become narrowed or blocked due to plaque build-up. Identifying the symptoms of CHD as early as possible can save lives, but many people can’t seek care due to busy work schedules or self-doubt about where to begin. 
 
This is why Cellmaflex can make a difference in your healthcare journey. With the ability to book appointments online, without ever needing to make a phone call, checking your entire medical history anytime, anywhere, and finding doctors, labs, imaging centres, and pharmacies in seconds, managing your heart health has never been easier.  
 
In this blog, we will define what is coronary heart disease, explore coronary heart disease symptoms, and identify major risk factors for the disease, diagnostic tests and prevention options, and discuss how Cellmaflex can help take control of your heart health proactively. 

What Is Coronary Heart Disease? 

Coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as ischemic heart disease, happens when the coronary arteries (blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle) become narrowed or blocked with plaque. Plaque is a buildup of cholesterol, fat, calcium, and other substances that can be found in the inner lining of arteries, a process referred to as atherosclerosis. 
 
The buildup of plaque reduces blood flow, which restricts the heart’s access to the oxygen it requires to function properly. If left unchecked, CHD can lead to angina (chest pain), heart attacks, arrhythmias, or heart failure. In many cases, the first warning of CHD may be a heart attack, which is why it is important to monitor symptoms and risk factors for coronary heart disease. 
 
According to WHO, globally, coronary heart disease (CHD) caused approximately 9 million deaths in 2021, making it the single biggest killer worldwide. In 2022, an estimated 315 million people were living with CHD globally, including roughly 145 million men and 110 million women. WHO stated that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), a broader category that includes CHD, caused an estimated 19.8 million deaths in 2022, representing about 32% of all global deaths.   
 
According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death in the Americas, claiming over 2 million lives annually. In 2021, the age-standardized CVD mortality rates declined by 29.8% from 208.0 deaths per 100,000 population in 2000 to 146.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 2021. However, these rates vary significantly across countries, with Haiti having the highest rate at 427.7 deaths per 100,000 population. 

Taking care of your heart health is easier than ever with Cellmaflex. You can:  
– Find cardiologists and other specialists in your area 
– Book in-person or online appointments and diagnostic testing 
– Review your entire medical record to track your heart health trends 
– Coordinate care with labs, imaging, and pharmacies 
– Patients can do all these activities on their mobile devices in few taps! 

Coronary Heart Disease Symptoms 

Understanding the warning signs or coronary heart disease symptoms is important. Some patients have clear symptoms, while other patients are asymptomatic until a serious cardiac event arises. Here is a guide of what to look for:  

Chest Pain or Discomfort (Angina) 
Angina is the hallmark symptom of CHD. Patients often describe the sensation as pressure, squeezing, fullness, or tightness and may experience discomfort in the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, or back. Usually, in the context of angina, the sensation rises with either an increase in physical activity or an increase in emotional stress when the heart requires more oxygen than the narrowed arteries can deliver. 

Shortness of Breath 
Reduced blood flow can impair the heart’s ability to pump efficiently, causing fluid buildup in the lungs and resulting in difficulty breathing, even during everyday activities

Fatigue or Weakness  
If you are experiencing prolonged fatigue, it may be indicating that the heart is not receiving adequate oxygenated blood to ensure adequate bodily function. 

Heart Palpitations 
A heartbeat that is irregular or has an unusually fast rhythm can be a product of coronary arteries that may be unwell.  

Silent Symptoms  
Some individuals will have no symptoms at all until they experience a heart attack or sudden cardiac event: This is why a regime of routine monitoring and preventive health is crucial for this group of people. 

Key Risk Factors 

Some factors raise the chance of developing coronary heart disease. Understanding and managing the risks is important:  

High cholesterol levels and high blood pressure: Excess cholesterol can form plaques, narrowing arteries, while high blood pressure causes damage to arterial walls. 

Smoking and excessive alcohol: Both increase plaque formation and are detrimental to cardiovascular function 

Diabetes: High blood sugar damages blood vessels and increases the risk of CHD. 

Obesity and poor nutrition: Diets that are high in saturated fat, refined sugar, and processed foods contribute to plaque build-up. 

Physical Inactivity: A sedentary lifestyle weakens the heart and reduces circulation efficiency, increasing the risk of plaque buildup and coronary heart disease. 

Family history of heart disease: Genetics may contribute to the potential for developing CHD.

With Cellmaflex, you will be empowered to address these risk factors. You can find dietitians, fitness professionals, and wellness clinics in your area, schedule follow-ups, and maintain records of key health indicators such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, all in one user-defined, user-friendly, simple-to-use digital health platform. 

Prevention and Management

Engaging in preventive lifestyle practices and regular self-management can help prevent or manage coronary heart disease.

Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet: Emphasise fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats while minimising processed foods and sugars.

Be active: Try to achieve a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.

Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol: These changes can significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks.

Engage in stress reduction: Mindfulness, meditation, counselling, and adequate rest help reduce cardiovascular strain.

Regular Check-Ups: Monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar to watch for early warning signs.

Diagnostic Tests
Doctors use a series of diagnostic tests to identify and then evaluate persons with coronary heart disease:

Electrocardiogram (commonly called EKG or ECG): A scan of the heart that monitors the electrical activity of the heart to evaluate for arrhythmias or evidence of ischemia or reduced blood supply.

Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram employs ultrasound imaging to produce real-time images of how the heart pumps blood with an overall structure of the heart.

Stress test: A test that demonstrates heart function or reaction to exercise or when under stress via medication.

Cardiac catheterization (more commonly referred to as angiogram): Uses dye and X-ray to check for blockage to the coronary arteries.

CT angiography: Provides detailed images of the coronary arteries to assess plaque buildup.

Blood Tests: Evaluates cholesterol, triglycerides, and injury markers to the heart.

Cellmaflex enables a patient to book these tests through local labs or imaging facilities online, view their results, and maintain a longitudinal record of their cardiovascular health. This centralization of data helps doctors make more informed decisions and ensures patients stay actively engaged in their care.

When to Seek Medical Care

You should take an immediate trip to medical care if you are having:

• Pain in the chest that is persistent or severe
• Unexplained shortness of breath
• Dizziness or loss of consciousness
• A fast or irregular heartbeat
  
  

If you are not having an actively concerning symptoms, regularly scheduled routine screenings are still important and can be helpful in identifying the coronary heart disease symptoms earlier. With the help of Cellmaflex, scheduling periods for routine cardiology check-ups and preventive screenings will be quick and easy.

Take Action with Cellmaflex

Don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Being proactive can protect your life. With Cellmaflex, you can:

• Find a cardiologist or heart specialist in your area
• Book appointments and tests online (no phone calls)
• View your medical record anytime, anywhere
• Manage your care with labs, imaging centres and pharmacies with ease
  
  

Coronary heart disease is a serious but manageable condition. Identifying coronary heart disease symptoms, understanding risk factors, making lifestyle changes, and knowing when to seek medical attention is important in limiting complications. With Cellmaflex, managing heart health is easier, more accessible, and more person-centred. Using Cellmaflex, you can easily find a specialist, book a test online, get test results and track your medical history; in short, take the necessary steps to be proactive to have a healthier heart today.