Abstract This article includes studies of techniques used to prevent, treat, and nutritional or surgical therapies used for coronary heart disease. This article also describes some of the possible causes and threats related to this disease. Coronary heart disease is a major problem and is the leading cause of death in both men and women. More than half of deaths from heart disease in 2009 occurred among men (Barclay, 2013). Some types of coronary artery disease are not harmful, but can later develop a buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries that can lead to 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 article also describes common techniques for diagnosing coronary heart disease, including electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, stress test, cardiac catheterization or angiography, or cardiac scintigraphy (Mayo Clinic staff, 2017). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'? Get the original essay The heart is a complex muscle filled with ventricles, valves, atria, and many other parts that all help the body to operate correctly. When a person does not treat their body well, the consequences are decreased function or damage to the heart or its many parts. Damage to the heart can have long-term effects, such as narrowing of blood vessels or arteries, and lead to different forms of heart disease. One of the most common diseases is coronary heart disease (CAD). Coronary heart disease has two main causes. The first is genetic influences, and the second is lack of exercise and poor diet. Another cause of coronary heart disease is atherosclerosis, and it develops when a person does not take proper care of their body. Atherosclerosis is a buildup of cholesterol plaques in the walls of arteries causing obstruction of blood flow, which can then cause the plaques to rupture, causing acute occlusion of the artery by a clot. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fats and other substances. Atherosclerosis often has no symptoms until a plaque ruptures or its buildup is severe enough to block blood flow. Blood vessels can become inflamed and the risk of blood clots and heart attacks increases when plaque buildup is not addressed. Sometimes a narrowed artery can grow new blood vessels to bypass the blockage and carry blood to the heart. When exercise or increased stress on the heart occurs, an insufficient amount of 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. Other causes and risk factors for coronary heart disease include age (just getting older can increase the risk of narrow or damaged arteries), gender, family history, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, being overweight or obese, physical inactivity or high stress (Mayo Clinic staff, 2017). Sometimes coronary heart disease develops without any traditional risk factors. There are many types of coronary heart disease. Some plaques never obstruct coronary blood flow and are asymptomatic. People who have symptoms may have astable acute coronary syndrome or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Stable angina is chest pain or discomfort that most often occurs during activity or emotional stress and is due to poor blood flow through the blood vessels of the heart. This condition does not constitute a clinical emergency. If a plaque suddenly ruptures, it causes the artery to clot, called coronary thrombosis. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a syndrome caused by decreased blood flow in the coronary arteries so 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 it is abnormally high above the baseline. Unstable angina means that blockages in the arteries supplying your heart with blood and oxygen have reached a critical level. The affected person experiences chest pain even when resting. If left untreated, unstable angina can lead to heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms). These can be life threatening. In contrast, when thrombosis completely obstructs the vessel, the myocardium, the muscle tissue of the heart, is injured 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 main arteries of the heart is blocked. One of the symptoms of coronary heart disease is chest pain, or angina (mentioned above). It may feel like pressure or tightness in the 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 stops as well. There may also be 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 shoulder or arm pain, sometimes accompanied by 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 any signs or symptoms. Additionally, symptoms can be very different in women and men. Heart attack symptoms in women can be much more subtle than in men. Symptoms in women may include fatigue and trouble sleeping about a month or two before a heart attack. Women feel pressure in the chest, but not as suddenly as in men. Other common symptoms in women are shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and pain that spreads throughout the upper body. They both experience chest pain at the beginning and during a heart attack, but men experience much more abrupt symptoms, such as sudden, crushing pain in the chest. For diagnosis, your doctor may suggest various tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, stress test, cardiac catheterization or angiography, or heart scan. An electrocardiogram records electrical signals as they pass through the heart and can often reveal signs of a previous or ongoing heart attack. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of the heart. During an echocardiogram, the