What Are the Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease?
If the plaque narrows the lumen or channel of the artery, it may make it difficult for adequate quantities of blood to flow to the heart muscle. If the build-up reduces flow only mildly, there may be no noticeable symptoms at rest, but symptoms such as chest pressure may occur with increased activity or stress. These are signals that your heart is having difficulty. Other symptoms that may be experienced are heartburn, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, and heavy sweating.
When flow is significantly reduced and the heart muscle does not receive enough blood flow to meet its needs (cardiac ischemia), severe symptoms such as chest pain (angina pectoris), heart attack (myocardial infarction), or rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias) may occur. A heart attack is the result of a completely blocked artery which damages the heart muscle.
Restenosis
Restenosis is a re-narrowing of the blood vessel due to the growth of tissue at the site of the angioplasty or stent implantation. This re-narrowing of the blood vessel may lead to the return of symptoms associated with coronary artery disease.
Restenosis occurs in a significant portion of angioplasty patients within months after treatment. Some patients are more likely to experience restenosis than other patients. You may already have been diagnosed with restenosis or your doctor may consider you at a high risk. After assessing your risk factors, your physician will have a good idea of your chances of developing restenosis.
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