Since cholesterol is one of key components to CAD, consuming less cholesterol is imperative when preventing CAD. In this paper, the relationship between cholesterol and coronary artery disease will be reviewed. This will include specifically discussion of the mechanism by which cholesterol leads to CAD, treatments for the disease, and what the future may hold for CAD diagnosis and treatment. .
2. What causes CAD?.
In human heart, the aorta connects into two coronary arteries: the right and left coronary arteries. In terms of function, these coronary arteries are categorized as end arteries. This means that the two arteries work independently from each other. Most of the arteries of body have multiple routes, connecting one with another. Thus, if one blood vessel is blocked, the blood from another vessel can still provide oxygen supply. However, in case of the heart, since two arteries are independent from each other, if one of the coronary arteries is blocked, there is no alternate route for blood to be delivered to that part of cardiac muscle. When no blood is provided, the heart goes into myocardial hypoxia, which means a drop in oxygen level. If the hypoxia continues for more than 5~10 minutes, the part of the heart dies and this condition is known as an myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attack. .
In order for the coronary arteries to result in hypoxia, there has to be an occlusion occurring from either a spasm of the blood vessel wall or lodgment of a blood clot. Usually, the spasm is followed by the blood clot forming in the blood vessel. There can be many factors for the clotting of the blood including nicotine from tobacco or cholesterol. These factors thicken the vessel wall and narrow the blood vessel, and this condition is referred to as arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis can occur not only in the coronary arteries but also in any blood vessel in the human body.