If you think that you aren't a risk for coronary artery disease, think again. Those who suffer from coronary artery disease experience a restriction of blood flow to the muscles of the heart which can result in chest pain, muscle damage, and heart failure if not identified and treated properly.

Within the vascular system there are three main arteries. Each of these branch off into smaller arteries and blood vessels to provide oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. Those suffering from coronary artery disease can experience a restriction of blood flow through any of these arteries or blood vessels.

If you can recognize and reduce the risk factors for Coronary artery disease then you can help prevent it. Factors such as obesity, lack of activity, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol levels can be changes or at least controlled to help you live healthier. Other factors like age, gender and family history can't be controlled, but should make you work harder to keep from having any other risk factors. Most often coronary artery disease is a result of atherosclerosis, or fat and deposit build up inside your blood vessels which restricts the movement of blood through your system.

One of the nice things about our blood vessels is that they can usually expand or contract depending on the amount of blood that needs to get through. But when a person has coronary artery disease the blood vessels around their heart lose that ability to stretch. Now, add to this some plaque build-up and the need for more blood to get through (i.e. exercise, stress) and it can result in an obstruction of blood flow.

If your coronary artery disease mostly involves the small vessels this can lead to intermittent chest pain, also known as angina, which is usually relieved by resting/removing the stress and certain medications your doctor can prescribe. It can also lead to small areas of damaged heart muscle, which may or may not be reversible. But if your coronary artery disease involves major blockage of a large vessel or if a piece of the plaque falls off blocking the blood vessel completely this can lead to a major heart attack/heart failure.

If you think that you are at risk for coronary artery disease then you should consult your doctor for treatment options. There are many ways to treat this disease, from lifestyle changes to medication to surgery.