Some 7 million Americans suffer from coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common form of heart disease. This type of heart disease is caused by a narrowing of the coronary arteries that feed the heart. Coronary Artery Disease can also be called Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). This disease process can affect any artery in the body.
Other forms of cardiovascular disease are Cerebrovascular Disease, which cause the majority of strokes and Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) which affects the arteries of the legs. PVD can cause limited blood flow to the leg muscles causing pain with wallking, called Claudication. Also, there is Carotid Artery Disease which can restrict blood in the arteries of the neck that deliver blood to the brain.
CAD is the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S. Each year, more than 500,000 Americans die of heart attacks caused by CAD. Cardiovascular desease causes one death every 29 seconds in America - about 3,000 people a day.
Many of these deaths could be prevented because CAD is related to certain aspects of lifestyle. Risk factors for CAD include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity--all of which can be controlled. Although medical treatments for heart disease have come a long way, controlling risk factors remains the key to preventing illness and death from CHD.

What is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)?
Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients that are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is CHD. If not enough oxygen-carrying blood reaches the heart, the heart may respond with pain called angina. The pain is usually felt in the chest or sometimes in the left arm and shoulder. (However, the same inadequate blood supply may cause no symptoms, a condition called silent angina.)
When the blood supply is cut off completely, the result is a heart attack. The part of the heart that does not receive oxygen begins to die, and some of the heart muscle may be permanently damaged.

Do I Have Cardiovascular Disease?
If you have had any of the following, then the answer is most likely YES.
        Heart Attack
        Angioplasty (either 'Balloon', 'STENT' or 'Rotorooter')
        Heart Bypass Surgery
        Leg Bypass Surgery
        Carotid Endarterectomy
        Stroke

        Your doctor said you have any of the following:
        Diabetes
        Angina
        Claudication
        Peripheral Vascular Disease
        Cerebrovascular Disease
        Carotid Artery Disease