Coronary Artery Disease

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Description

Inside the chest cavity are the left coronary artery and right coronary artery, which supply blood to the heart muscle. Damage to or blockages of either artery reduce blood flow in the affected artery, resulting in decreased oxygen delivery to the heart muscle. This condition, called ischemia, can cause pain. If a coronary artery's inner wall becomes damaged, plaque consisting of lipids (fats) and clotted blood can build up, causing progressive narrowing of the path through which blood can flow. Blood may find that the vessel it must pass through is too narrow. If the artery becomes completely constricted (blocked), causing anoxia (lack of oxygen) to the part of the heart muscle that the artery supplies, myocardial infarction (a heart attack) may occur. This event may cause some heart muscle cells to die.