Coronary Artery Disease

Don’t let coronary artery disease (CAD) go undetected or untreated. At the Cardiovascular Clinic of Arizona in Tempe, Arizona, cardiologist Thaslim Kassim, MD, FACC, diagnoses and treats CAD to prevent heart attacks and other heart or blood vessel complications. Schedule a heart evaluation at the Cardiovascular Clinic of Arizona by calling the office or booking one online today.

What is coronary artery disease (CAD)?

Coronary artery disease, or CAD, is a common condition that affects major vessels that supply blood to your heart. It makes it difficult to send enough nutrients, oxygen, and blood to the heart muscle, often because of inflammation and plaque buildup in artery walls. Treating CAD is vital to reduce unpleasant symptoms and the risk of complications. 

Which symptoms can CAD cause?

Coronary artery disease can cause the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Chest pain
• Heart attack

Some of these symptoms may worsen during exercise and become more frequent or severe over time when not addressed. In addition to heart attacks, other complications include heart failure and irregular heart rhythms. 

What are the risk factors for coronary artery disease?

CAD risk factors include:

• High cholesterol
• Plaque buildup in artery walls
• Insulin resistance
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Tobacco use
• High blood pressure
• Being sedentary
• Aging
• Genetics
• Carrying excess body weight
• Chronic kidney disease
• Emotional stress
• Diets high in trans fat, saturated fat, salt, or sugar
• Too little or too much sleep
• Heavy alcohol use

Adopting healthy habits is one of the best ways to reduce your chance of developing CAD.

How is coronary artery disease diagnosed and treated?

At the Cardiovascular Clinic of Arizona, Dr. Kassim discusses your medical history and symptoms, completes a physical exam, and orders diagnostic tests to detect or rule out coronary artery disease and its complications. You might undergo blood tests, an electrocardiogram (EKG), an echocardiogram, a nuclear stress test, an exercise stress test, or a heart CT scan.

During cardiac catheterization, Dr. Kassim inserts a flexible tube through a blood vessel in your groin or wrist to your heart. A dye flows through the catheter to make blood vessels show up better on images to outline blockages. If you have a blockage, Dr. Kassim can inflate a balloon tip to widen an artery and hold it open using a mesh tube.

Other CAD treatments include medications, dietary supplements, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), lifestyle changes, and cardiac rehabilitation. Avoid smoking, maintain an ideal body weight, manage stress, and properly control blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol levels. 

Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and other fiber-rich options. Limit or avoid alcohol, exercise regularly and take dietary supplements if asked to.

Schedule an appointment at the Cardiovascular Clinic of Arizona by phone or request one online today to get evaluated or treated for coronary artery disease.