CORONARY HEART DISEASE

Coronary heart disease is caused by a sticky plaque build-up within the artery walls of the circulatory system according to the National Instritutes of Health (NIH) commonly called atherosclerosis, which is accumulated over several years, and could break off (National Institutes of Health, 2014). If the plaque breaks off within the artery, it can cause a heart attack or stroke (NIH, 2014). Restricted bloodflow can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and can weaken heart muscles (NIH, 2014). If the heart pumps too hard through restricted circulation, aneurysms could occur causing a rupture of an artery. Common aneurysm site is the aorta, and can be corrected if found during a physical examination.