What is Coronary artery disease (CAD)?

  What are the symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease?

  What can happen with Coronary Artery Disease if you don’t treat ?

  What is a heart attack?

  What is the prognosis?

  Role of Homoeopathy in treating Coronary Artery Disease

What is Coronary artery disease (CAD)?

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is blockage of the vessels which supply blood to the heart. This disease process is called "atherosclerosis", or commonly known as "hardening of the arteries". In this process, cholesterol and other fats are deposited in the layers of the arteries, narrowing the channel for blood to flow. CAD occurs to some degree as a natural result of aging. There are several reasons, called "risk factors", that it may occur at a younger age or to a more severe degree. Some of these factors can be changed, and some cannot.

Things we can't change
Male sex or women who are past their menopause (although women can take hormone     replacement therapy).
Family history of early CAD in mother, father, sisters or brothers

Things we can change, or at least control:
Smoking
Diabetes
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
    Overweight
    Sedentary lifestyle, (not exercising enough)

What are the symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease?

"Angina" is a discomfort often experienced by patients with coronary artery disease. Severe pains, prolonged pains, or pains associated with marked shortness of breath or heavy sweating should prompt an immediate call to a physician.

Although pains in the chest, neck or arms may be an indicator of underlying heart disease, not all of the pains in these areas are necessarily from the heart. Pains that are caused from heart disease:
Usually occur when one is exerting.
Generally last from 1 - 20 minutes (pains lasting less than 5 seconds are generally not from     heart disease, nor are pains which last continuously for days at a time)
Are consistent, occurring in the same area time after time
Are often not severe
Are often eased by taking Sorbitrates or nitroglycerin

The most common pains which patients experience which are not from the heart:
Are very short in duration (less than 5 seconds) and "sharp" in character
Occur at different areas around the chest
Are caused by movements or a deep breath (as opposed to exertion such as walking)

What can happen with Coronary Artery Disease if you don’t treat ?

With mild blockages, there is still room for adequate amounts of blood to flow to supply the needs of the heart muscle served by the particular artery. In moderate blockage, there may be lack of enough blood flow under situations of increased demand, such as exercise. In these cases, one may experience discomfort in association with the inadequate blood flow, and this is termed "angina". Permanent muscle damage does not occur with a bout of angina.

If an artery closes completely and suddenly and there is no flow to the heart muscle, that part of the muscle will die and eventually scar over. This is termed a "myocardial infarction". The common term for this is a "heart attack".

What is a heart attack?

A "heart attack" (or "myocardial infarction") occurs when the heart muscle suddenly loses most of its blood supply over a period of time (usually at least 20 minutes). This occurs most commonly due to the sudden closure of the artery which supplies that part of the muscle with blood. Generally, the vessel closes due to the presence of cholesterol plaque which ruptures or is eroded, leaving the contents open to the blood stream. (see figure above). The blood clots off the cholesterol, but this clot also totally blocks the flow of blood.

What is the prognosis?

The prognosis of coronary artery disease is highly variable, and depends on many factors. Chief among these are how well the heart muscle is functioning and how many vessels are involved with blockages. The long-term prognosis can be greatly influenced by the patient's behaviour including smoking, control of blood pressure and cholesterol, follow-up with diet and exercise programs, etc.

Role of Homoeopathy in treating Coronary Artery Disease

Treatment of coronary artery disease is aimed at controlling symptoms and slowing or stopping the progression of disease.

Homoeopathic medicine works maximum, when the constitutional medicine is given to the individual patient. It helps in maintaining Cholesterol levels, blood pressure readings and Blood sugar levels. Homoeopathy plays a major role in controlling the risk factors of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

Take your medications:
Medications may be needed to help your heart work more efficiently and receive more oxygen-rich blood. The medications you are dependent on for your specific heart problem should be continued along with the Homoeopathy medicine.

Keep a list of the cardiac medicines you are taking, as the Homoeopathic doctor will have to continue these medicines till your risk factors of CAD, have been taken care of.

A note about nitroglycerin (Sorbitrates):

Nitroglycerin is the most common vasodilator used for acute cases of angina. It works to dilate or widen the arteries, increasing blood flow to the heart muscle and to relax the veins, lessening the amount of blood that returns to the heart from the body. This decreases the amount of work for the heart.

Nitroglycerin comes in tablet or spray form. If you have angina, it is important that you keep this medication with you at all times.

To prevent damage to your heart muscle, do not delay seeking medical treatment.