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Palatine Heart Center
523 Old Northwest Highway,
Barrington, IL 60010
Phone (847) 381-1200
Fax (847) 381-1904

Heart Lung Center
360 Station Drive
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Phone (815) 477-8900
Fax (815) 477-7160

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque build up inside the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. When plaque builds up, it narrows the arteries and reduces the amount of blood that gets to your heart. Over time, this can weaken or damage the heart. In some cases, the plaque may tear and the body tries to fix it by forming a blood clot around it. This clot can block blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack.

The most common symptoms of coronary artery disease include chest pain or pressure and shortness of breath. Often times, patients have these symptoms when the heart is working harder and needs more oxygen, such as during exercise. Other possible symptoms of coronary heart disease include arm pain, jaw or neck pain, dizziness, fatigue and abnormal heart rhythms.

To diagnose coronary artery disease, doctors start by doing a physical exam and asking questions about your past health and your risk factors. The most common risk factors for coronary artery disease include smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a family history of heart disease.

If your doctor feels that you may have or are at risk for coronary artery disease, he or she will likely order tests to evaluate the blood flow to your heart muscle. These tests may include blood work, EKG’s, stress tests, cat scans or possibly a coronary angiogram.

Treatment of coronary artery disease includes medications, lifestyle changes and in some cases surgical interventions such as heart stents or coronary artery bypass surgery.