Coronary Artery Disease(CAD) occurs when your arteries (the arteries which supply blood to the heart) become narrowed by a gradual build up of fatty deposits within their walls. The fatty deposits are cholesterol containing substances (plaque). The plaque accumulates on the arteries causing them to narrow which results in the less blood flow to the heart. 

The risk factors for CAD are:

1. High cholesterol 

2. Hypertension

3. Active and passive smoking

4. Diabetes

5. Physical inactivity

6. Overweight/obesity 

7. Increasing age 

8. Gender (men are prone to develop CAD at an earlier age than women)

9. Family history

10. High stress

The Symptoms of CAD are:

1.  Angina (chest pain) – Angina is discomfort, tightness, heaviness in the chest which lasts between 30 seconds to five minutes. It is usually triggered by physical or emotional stress. 

2. Shortness of breath – If the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, then you may experience shortness of breath and may start panting. 

3. Heart attack – A heart attack occurs when the coronary artery is completely blocked. The blood supply to the heart is blocked for a long period of time. The person may experience chest discomfort, dizziness, nausea, restlessness. 

If you are at high risk or already have symptoms, your doctor will perform some tests to diagnose CAD. The tests are Electrocardiogram (ECG), Chest X ray, stress test, cardiac angiogram and cardiac catheterization, echocardiogram, CT scan, MRA.