Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. 13 million people are affected by this disease. CHD is also called hardening of the arteries, CAD. Coronary artery disease is caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries that connect to the heart. The buildup is caused by fats and other substances that form plaque. Plaque builds up on the walls of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are responsible for blood flow and oxygen to the heart. The buildup of fat causes the arteries to narrow, causing blood flow and oxygen to the heart to slow or even stop. The heart and arteries are the main organs affected by coronary artery disease. Not having enough blood flow throughout the body also damages heart tissue. Reduced blood flow forces the heart to work harder so the rest of the body can receive blood. The kidneys are damaged by coronary heart disease because they do not receive enough blood. Just like the kidneys, the rest of the body's organs also get damaged due to the poor blood flow they receive. Signs and symptoms accompany any illness, some symptoms may be noticeable, but sometimes there are simply no symptoms. The common symptom of coronary heart disease is chest pain and/or discomfort. This happens when the heart is not receiving oxygen or blood. The intensity of chest pain varies from patient to patient. My chest hurts, my heart feels tight. The pain can be felt below the breastbone but also in the neck, arms, stomach and upper back. Chest pain usually occurs when the patient is doing activities or moving, but it goes away with rest or with a medication called nitroglycerin. Other symptoms are visible... middle of paper ...... the stent is a small metal tube that expands inside a coronary artery. The stent is placed during or after angioplasty. This procedure prevents the artery from closing. One surgery that treats coronary heart disease is coronary artery bypass grafting. This surgery creates new pathways for blood to flow to the heart. In this surgical procedure, the surgeon removes a vein from the leg or an artery from the chest or wrist. The surgeon then attaches it to the coronary artery. The other surgery that treats coronary artery disease is called minimally invasive heart surgery. In this surgery, the arterial bypass is done without stopping the heart. They place the patient under a heart-lung machine. Each chronic illness has its own treatments and surgical procedures. mayoclinic.com http://www.webmd.com http://www.kidshealth.org