What is CAD?
Coronary artery disease (CAD) may not always cause symptoms, but it is one of the major risk factors for stroke.
CAD develops when there is a buildup of plaque in the arteries that deliver oxygen-rich blood to your brain and head. Plaque causes blockage or narrowing that keeps blood from flowing efficiently.
What Are the Causes and Risk Factors of CAD?
CAD is thought to begin with an injury to the inner layer of the coronary artery. This injury may sometimes begin during childhood.
It can be brought by different factors, including high blood pressure, smoking, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and physical inactivity.
Injury to the inner wall of the artery causes fatty deposits (plaque) to collect at the site. If the plaque surface ruptures, platelets clump together at the site to repair the injury. This process can cause blockage, leading to heart attack and stroke.
FAST (stroke symptoms)
CAD increases your risk for stroke. With stroke, it’s important to remember the acronym FAST, which stands for:
• Face
Smile or ask the affected person to smile. Does the face only move on one side?
• Arms
• Try to raise your arms or ask the affected person to raise his arms. Does one arm fail to raise normally?
• Speech
Is your or the affected person’s speech slurred?
• Time
If the answer to the above questions is yes, call 911 immediately.
Seeing a doctor
If you are at risk of Carotid Artery Disease, that is, you have a high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and/or have a history of vascular or heart disease in your family, it’s important to see a Vascular Specialist. There are ways to reduce your risk.
The board-certified Vascular Surgeons of Premier Vascular and Vein Center in Knoxville have years of training and experience in diagnosing and treating CAD. Our Vascular experts can help you keep your blood flowing.
To request an appointment at Premier Vascular and Vein Center, call (865) 588-8229 or complete out this form.