num_pages: 88
description: If your physician has diagnosed you with coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease, you are not alone-some 13.2 million Americans suffer from this health problem. CHD is diagnosed when your coronary arteries-the arteries that carry blood to the heart-become narrowed by the buildup of deposits called plaques within the artery walls. This process, known as atherosclerosis, impairs the ability of the body to pump enough blood through the coronary arteries to provide adequate oxygen and nutrients to the heart. Even worse, formation of a blood clot on top of a plaque can cause a fatal heart attack. CHD is the number one cause of death in both men and women in the United States. It is responsible for about one in five deaths, and it can lead to serious complications, including angina, heart attacks, heart failure, and arrhythmias.
language: English
title: Coronary Heart Disease 2007: Johns Hopkins White Papers
titlecomplete: Coronary Heart Disease 2007: Johns Hopkins White Papers
ratings_count: 1
publisher: Johns Hopkins Medicine