Patient Health InfoCoronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death and disability in the United States for both men and women. Almost half a million Americans die of coronary heart disease each year. Every 30 seconds someone suffers a coronary "event." In 2000, an estimated 1.1 million people will suffer a heart attack and 1 out of every 3 will not survive.
What is worse is that 225,000 people will die of a heart attack without ever being hospitalized. That's one of the reasons coronary heart disease is called the "Silent Killer."
Coronary Heart Disease is caused by a thickening - called atherosclerosis - of the inside walls of the coronary arteries. Atherosclerosis usually occurs when a person has high levels of cholesterol, a fat-like substance, in the blood. Cholesterol and fat, circulating in the blood, build up on the walls of the arteries. The buildup narrows the arteries and can slow or block the flow of blood, which brings oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. This process begins in most people during childhood and the teenage years, and worsens as they get older.
The reduced blood flow produces angina pectoris, heart attack or both. More than 12 million Americans have some history of heart attack, angina pectoris or both. Some 7 million Americans suffer from coronary heart disease (CHD), the most common form of heart disease. The cost of cardiovascular diseases (which includes coronary heart disease) and stroke in 2000 is estimated by the American Heart Association at $326.6 billion.
Although medical treatments for heart disease have come a long way, controlling risk factors remains the key to preventing illness and death from CHD. There are many things you can do to prevent or reduce your risk of heart disease. Heart disease risk factors high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity--all of which you can control.