Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a medical condition caused when plaques build up in the walls of the coronary arteries. These plaques can gradually obstruct the artery, disturbing the continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients to survive. CAD is caused by atherosclerosis, which is a chronic, progressive disorder of the arteries in which deposits of cholesterol, calcium, and abnormal cells build up on the inner lining of the arteries.
More women die of cardiovascular disease than of any other cause, and most of these deaths are due to coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD can be particularly damaging to women because the symptoms of CAD can be different in women and the standard methods of diagnosing CAD can be misleading in women. Instead of chest pain, they are more likely to experience a hot or burning sensation, or even tenderness to touch, which may be located in the back, shoulders, arms or jaw. Often women have no chest discomfort at all.
Again, the diagnostic tests that work quite well in men can be misleading in women. The ECG test in women during exercise can often show changes suggesting CAD, whether CAD is present or not, making the study difficult to interpret. Many cardiologists routinely add an echocardiogram or a thallium study when doing a stress test in a woman, which greatly improves diagnostic accuracy.
In women with typical CAD, coronary angiography can identify the exact location of any plaques (i.e., blockages) within the coronary arteries, but in women with atypical coronary artery disorders, coronary angiograms often appear misleadingly normal. As such, if the physician trusts the results of the angiogram, he is likely to miss the real diagnosis.
More women die of cardiovascular disease than of any other cause, and most of these deaths are due to coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD can be particularly damaging to women because the symptoms of CAD can be different in women and the standard methods of diagnosing CAD can be misleading in women. Instead of chest pain, they are more likely to experience a hot or burning sensation, or even tenderness to touch, which may be located in the back, shoulders, arms or jaw. Often women have no chest discomfort at all.
Again, the diagnostic tests that work quite well in men can be misleading in women. The ECG test in women during exercise can often show changes suggesting CAD, whether CAD is present or not, making the study difficult to interpret. Many cardiologists routinely add an echocardiogram or a thallium study when doing a stress test in a woman, which greatly improves diagnostic accuracy.
In women with typical CAD, coronary angiography can identify the exact location of any plaques (i.e., blockages) within the coronary arteries, but in women with atypical coronary artery disorders, coronary angiograms often appear misleadingly normal. As such, if the physician trusts the results of the angiogram, he is likely to miss the real diagnosis.
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