In: Anatomy and Physiology
Hank, a 17-year-old high school student, suffered a heart attack during a recreational swim. An autopsy revealed that he had had atherosclerosis and that his death had been caused by coronary artery disease. What might have been the cause of this disease that usually strikes a person much older than Hank?
Causes of coronary artery disease;-
The number one cause of coronary artery disease or coronary heart disease is atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis
The coronary arteries have smooth walls through which blood can flow easily. If any damage to an artery wall, plaque gets trapped in those crevices inside the artery lumen. Plaque deposits are made of fats, cholesterols etc. Overtime, the plaque on those walls hardens and restricts blood flow, this is called atherosclerosis. It takes years for the build up to become noticeable. This plaque build up can lead reduced blood flow, and it causes chest pain, severe blockage, weak heart muscle, heart failure.
If it is affected a person much older than Hank, then on aging the build up of plaque is done more quickly, also high levels of fat in blood, high levels of cholesterol in blood, hypertension, are other risk factors. In the event of a heart attack, the heart muscles will start to die within the territory downstream from the blocked coronary artery.