Word: Coronary Artery Disease
Definition:
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a medical condition that affects the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart. It occurs when fatty deposits (called atheromas) build up inside the walls of the arteries, making them narrow. This can lead to less blood flow to the heart, which can cause chest pain or even heart attacks.
Usage Instructions:
- Use "coronary artery disease" when talking about heart health or discussing conditions that affect the heart. - It is often used in medical contexts, so it may appear in discussions with healthcare professionals or in healthcare literature.
Example Sentence:
"After several tests, the doctor diagnosed him with coronary artery disease, which explained his frequent chest pains."
Advanced Usage:
In more advanced discussions, you might hear about the risk factors for coronary artery disease, such as high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, or a sedentary lifestyle. You may also encounter terms like "myocardial infarction" (which is a heart attack) that can be related to severe cases of CAD.
Word Variants:
- Coronary: Related to the heart's arteries. - Artery: A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart.
Different Meanings:
While "coronary artery disease" has a specific medical meaning, the words "coronary" and "artery" can be used separately in different contexts. For example, "coronary" can refer to anything related to the heart, and "artery" can refer to any blood vessel in the body.
Synonyms:
- Ischemic heart disease (IHD) - Coronary heart disease (CHD)
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
There are no direct idioms or phrasal verbs that specifically relate to "coronary artery disease," but phrases like "hardening of the arteries" might come up, which refers to the buildup of plaque in arteries, similar to what happens in CAD.
Summary:
Coronary artery disease is a serious condition affecting how blood flows to the heart. It's important to be aware of it, especially if you have risk factors.