Abstract This article includes studies on techniques used to prevent, treat, and nutritional or surgical therapies used for coronary heart disease. This document also outlines some of the causes and possible threats related to this disease. Coronary heart disease is a big problem and is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men (Barclay, 2013). Some types of coronary heart disease are not harmful, but can later develop plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, resulting in possible acute coronary syndrome or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. It is important that people understand the risks of this disease and take care of themselves to prevent it. This document also outlines common techniques for diagnosing coronary heart disease, which include electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, stress test, cardiac catheterization, or angiogram or cardiac scan (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The heart is a complex muscle filled with ventricles, valves, atria, and many other parts that help the body function properly. When a person does not treat their body well, the consequences are reduced function or damage to the heart or one of its many parts. Damage to the heart can have long-term effects, such as narrowing of blood vessels or arteries, and can cause several forms of heart disease. One of the most common of these diseases is coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary heart disease has two main causes. The first is genetic influences, the second is lack of exercise and a poor diet. Another cause of coronary heart disease is atherosclerosis, which develops when a person does not take proper care of their body. Atherosclerosis is a buildup of cholesterol plaques in the walls of the arteries that cause obstruction of blood flow, which can then cause the plaques to rupture, causing the artery to be acutely blocked by a clot. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fats and other substances. Atherosclerosis often has no symptoms until the plaque breaks down or the buildup is severe enough to block blood flow. Blood vessels may become inflamed and the risk of blood clots and heart attacks increases when plaque buildup is left untreated. Sometimes, a narrowed artery can develop new blood vessels to bypass the blockage and carry blood to the heart. When exercise or increased stress on the heart occurs, not enough oxygenated blood reaches the heart. When the heart does not receive enough oxygenated blood, the artery may become blocked or a heart attack may occur. Some other causes and risk factors for coronary heart disease include age (just aging can increase the risk of narrowing or damage to the arteries), sex, family history, smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, diabetes, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, or high stress (Mayo Clinic staff, 2017). Sometimes coronary heart disease develops without classic risk factors. There are many different types of coronary heart disease. Some plaques never obstruct coronary blood flow and are asymptomatic. People who have symptoms may have a stable acute coronary syndrome or an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Stable angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs most often with activity or emotional stress and is due to poor blood flowthrough the blood vessels of the heart. This condition is not a clinical emergency. The sudden rupture of a plaque causes the artery to clot, a phenomenon known as coronary thrombosis. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a syndrome due to decreased blood flow in the coronary arteries such that part of the heart muscle is unable to function properly or dies. ACS causes non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or unstable angina. NSTEMI is a type of heart attack. ST refers to the ST segment, which is part of the ECG (electrocardiogram) heart tracing used to diagnose a heart and means that it is abnormally high above the baseline. Unstable angina means that blockages in the arteries that supply the heart with blood and oxygen have reached a critical level. The affected person feels chest pain even at rest. If left untreated, unstable angina can lead to heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm). These can be life-threatening conditions. On the contrary, when thrombosis completely occludes the vessel, the myocardium, the muscle tissue of the heart, is damaged and an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) develops. ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a very serious type of heart attack in which one of the heart's main arteries becomes blocked. One of the symptoms of coronary heart disease is chest pain or angina (mentioned above). It may feel like pressure or tightness in your chest. Angina usually occurs in the middle or left side of the chest and can be triggered by emotional or physical stress. When the stress stops, the pain usually goes away too. You may also experience shortness of breath because the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's demands. Other symptoms include crushing pressure in the chest and pain in the shoulder or arm, sometimes with shortness of breath and sweating. These symptoms may be those of a heart attack, which occurs when an artery is completely blocked. Sometimes, however, a heart attack can occur without signs or symptoms. Additionally, symptoms can be very different in women than in men. Heart attack symptoms in women can be much more subtle than in men. Symptoms in women may include fatigue and sleep disturbances about a month or two before a heart attack. Women feel pressure in their chest but not as sudden as men. Other common symptoms for women are shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and pain that spreads throughout the upper body. Both experience chest pain at the beginning and during a heart attack, but men experience much more sudden symptoms, such as a sudden crushing pain in the chest. For diagnosis, your doctor may suggest a series of tests such as electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, stress test, cardiac catheterization or angiogram, or cardiac scan. An electrocardiogram records electrical signals as they travel through the heart and can often reveal evidence of a previous or ongoing heart attack. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of the heart. During an echocardiogram, your doctor can determine whether all parts of the heart wall contribute normally to the heart's pumping activity. To perform a stress test, your doctor looks for the signs and symptoms that occur most often during exercise. This is done by having the patient walk on a treadmill or pedal an exercise bike during an ECG. In some cases, drugs to stimulate the heart may be used instead of exercise. Cardiac catheterization or angiography involves the injection of a