What is CHD?

According to WHO, ischemic heart disease (IHD) is an epidemic of the twentieth century. It is common in economically developed countries, it occupies leading positions in mortality and disability, and the number of morbidity is growing unchecked. What is ischemic heart disease (or coronary atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, ischemia)? About this further.

The term IHD unites a group of diseases of the cardiovascular system, in which blood circulation in the arteries supplying blood to the myocardium (cardiac muscle) is disturbed. From the name of these arteries (coronary), IHD is also called coronary heart disease.

Already for almost two hundred years, scientists have been accumulating factual material that allows us to determine in detail what is coronary artery disease. This disease is currently regarded as an independent and polymorphic. There are several of its forms and variants of the current.

The most common and acute form of IHD is myocardial infarction. Another acute form of the disease is sudden coronary death.

Chronic forms of leakage include atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, which occupies the first place in mortality among diseases of the circulatory system, heart failure, chronic cardiac aneurysm, various types of arrhythmias.

What is CHD: the mechanism of the disease

The process that causes the disease is called ischemia. This is an insufficient level of blood supply to the myocardium due to a narrowing or complete closure of the lumen in the artery. Coronary insufficiency occurs as a result of various causes.

Transient ischemia in a healthy person is a physiological response to spasms of the artery. They can be caused by hormonal changes, pain, cold.

Longer ischemia, which leads to pathological processes, can be caused by blockage of the artery by thrombus, atherosclerotic plaques, biological irritants, tumor, foreign body, an inflammatory process that leads to narrowing of the artery is also possible.

What is CHD: the course of the disease

Often the disease proceeds wavy, that is, the periods of its aggravation alternate with periods of subjective absence of manifestations. The main symptom of the disease are attacks of pain in the heart, caused by angina. Initially, they arise as a result of mental and physical stress, and in the later - and at rest.

The development of the disease can take a long time for decades. Late stages and periods of exacerbation carry a greater threat of myocardial infarction.

Classification of IHD

WHO adopted the classification of IHD in 1979, which distinguishes five forms of the disease: primary circulatory arrest, stress angina (the first occurring, stable and progressive) and rest, myocardial infarction (acute: definite and possible, transferred), heart failure and arrhythmias.

IHD: symptoms

Symptoms depend on the type of illness the patient is exposed to. However, there are also general alarming signs, in the presence of which it is necessary to consult a doctor. These include any unpleasant sensations in the heart (severity, burning, discomfort, pain), especially if they appear in response to stress in the form of seizures and pass at rest. You should pay attention to the pain in your left arm and shoulder blade.

A characteristic manifestation of angina is the "angina pectoris".

With myocardial infarction, in addition to intense pain behind the sternum, there is profuse sweating and in some cases a cough.

Cardiosclerosis manifests itself in the form of dyspnea with insignificant exertion and at rest.

Despite the similarities, the symptoms of different forms and stages of ischemic heart disease are characterized by persistence of manifestations and the ability to stop painful sensations.