Coronary artery disease

[sidsuae]

I am male 46 years old having severe health anxiety &mitral valve prolapse since 12 years with lot of palpitation, chest tightness & short of breath most of the time. I did 2 stress test, 4 holter monitor test, 3 echocardiogram, several ekg, I walk daily for 40 minutes. My lipid profile is well under control. I would like to know, i was reading One article how to prevent heart disease or heart attack, as i have severe anxiety, In the article it was mentioned if somebody has 50% of blockage and within matter of hours it can be 100% blocked. How is it possible the plaque which was 50% blocked can be automatically be blocked by 100%. I got very feared after reading this article. I think it can be due to rapture of plaque which can cause blockage. How can the plaque automatically becomes thick (double) all of sudden to increase it by 100%. Can somebody plz help remove my doubt. I will be grateful to you. If it is applicable to high risk patient like diabetic. I just cannot believe somebodies plaque can be automatically be double without anything. if he is controlling his diet & not eating unhealthy food, eating hearth healthy food, brisk walking, exercising, I have heard that, plaque development takes time maybe decades. How within hour your plaque will be double from 50% to 100%. This has confused & created fear in my mind. Any normal person who has 50% blocked in his arteries, how it can become 100% without any risk factor. If someone is smoking or not exercising or eating unhealthy deep fried food, he can developed cad & that also after a long time. Can someone plz help me.

[sidsuae]

Only advanced imaging tests, such as coronary artery calcium scans or carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) ultrasounds, find early signs of silent atherosclerosis. I recommend them to high-risk people: those with type 2 diabetes, abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, a family history of heart disease, or a personal history of smoking. Though these tests may not always be covered by insurance, you may find them at a lower cost at some centers. In my community in Michigan, several hospitals offer them for between $50 and $125. If a test detects mildly clogged arteries, your doctor may recommend things like daily aspirin or other meds, a cholesterol-lowering plant-based diet, vitamin K², and exercise and stress management to reverse the damage.

Read more: http://www.rd.com/slideshows/attack-your-heart-risk/#ixzz2uuizZD3w


An artery that is only 50 percent blocked can become fully obstructed in a matter of hours

I think fully obstructed means plaque rupture & then replaced by a blood clot.

[ed34]

Yes plaque can rupture, which is then replaced by a blood clot. This is why patients with heart disease are on anticoagulants such as aspirin. The ruptured plaque could travel down the vessel and lodge somewhere causing a blockage, but in most cases it breaks up and disperses. As for a 50% plaque increasing to 100% by accumulating calcium within hours is simply not true. However, it can happen in a period of a few months. The thing to keep in mind, is that due to plaque increasing gradually in volume, symptoms almost always appear before it reaches 100%. I usually get symptoms at 90% or slightly above with blockages, and they can easily be stented to stop it growing more.