How is coronary heart disease diagnosed?

Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
Updated on September 21, 2024
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The routine non-invasive examination for coronary heart disease primarily includes an essential electrocardiogram, as well as echocardiography. Blood tests generally look at cardiac enzymes and the status of troponin to check for any heart muscle damage. In terms of invasive methods, we can perform coronary angiography, which allows us to directly observe the condition of the coronary arteries. The condition of coronary arteries can also now be examined through a non-invasive CT angiography (CTA), which can also reveal any narrowing of the coronary arteries and assess the severity of such narrowing.

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Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
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Does coronary heart disease spread?

Coronary heart disease is not contagious; it is not classified as an infectious disease. It is a type of heart disease caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. It is a common condition encountered frequently in clinical settings. It occurs due to arteriosclerosis and plaque formation, which leads to narrowing of the arteries, causing ischemia and hypoxia in the heart and resulting in corresponding clinical symptoms.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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What are the symptoms of coronary heart disease?

Some coronary heart disease patients have asymptomatic myocardial ischemia, and many may not exhibit clear symptoms of angina. Some patients can show signs of angina, with typical symptoms being a pressing pain in the anterior chest area or feelings of suffocation and shortness of breath, primarily located behind the sternum, or radiating to the precordial area and left upper limb, as well as the left side of the back. These symptoms often occur under common triggers such as physical exertion, emotional stress, overeating, or exposure to cold. If it is angina, it generally lasts less than 30 minutes and can be alleviated by rest or taking sublingual nitroglycerin. Some patients who experience a heart attack may have pain in the same areas, but the nature and duration of the pain will be significantly increased, and nitroglycerin may be less effective.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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How does one get coronary heart disease?

Coronary heart disease, officially called coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, is mainly caused by long-term elevated blood lipids, leading to arteriosclerosis, reduced elasticity in arterial walls, and thickening of the inner layer of blood vessels. This results in the narrowing of the coronary arteries and insufficient blood supply, which are the primary causes of coronary heart disease. Prolonged insufficient blood supply in the coronary arteries and severe narrowing can lead to angina and even myocardial infarction, posing significant risks to the body.

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Written by Liu Yong
Cardiology
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Is chest pain always coronary heart disease?

Firstly, the most common symptoms when coronary heart disease occurs include chest pain, especially in cases of severe myocardial infarction, which manifests as intense precordial pain. However, chest pain is not always indicative of coronary heart disease. For example, the development of chest pain centers currently underway in our country is intended to differentiate the nature of these chest pains. Therefore, the significance of establishing these chest pain centers lies in the fact that there are various causes of chest pain, many of which pose serious threats to life. For instance, common conditions such as aortic dissection may also present with chest pain. Similarly, pulmonary embolism, particularly acute pulmonary embolism, can cause symptoms like chest oppression and chest pain, which are not related to coronary heart disease. The establishment of chest pain centers is to distinguish these cases, hence it's important to note that not all chest pains are indicative of coronary heart disease.

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Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
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Is coronary heart disease hereditary?

Coronary heart disease involves genetic factors, but it is not solely due to this factor; multiple factors are involved, including arterial wall cells, extracellular base blood components, and the local hemodynamic environment, all of which can have an impact. Therefore, there is a certain familial aggregation, meaning if there are patients with coronary heart disease in the family, the risk of developing the disease is also increased.