Which condition can be a complication of coronary artery disease?

Which condition can be a complication of coronary artery disease?

• A. Stroke
• B. Heart Attack
• C. Both A and B
• D. None of the above

Answer: (C)

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is characterized by the narrowing of the coronary arteries due to plaque buildup, which can lead to insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle. This condition can indeed result in serious complications, the most significant of which are heart attacks and strokes. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is interrupted, often due to a clot that forms at the site of a plaque rupture within a narrowed coronary artery. This lack of blood flow can lead to the death of heart muscle cells, causing permanent damage and potentially leading to heart failure. A stroke, on the other hand, can occur when a blockage in the blood vessels supplying the brain prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching brain tissue. This blockage may arise from fat deposits or clots that originate in the heart or arteries, particularly when CAD is present. Thus, the interaction between the heart and brain's blood supply means that a patient with coronary artery disease is also at an increased risk for stroke. Given this understanding, both a heart attack and stroke are complications that can arise from untreated or severe coronary artery disease, making the correct response both logical and supported by medical evidence.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is characterized by the narrowing of the coronary arteries due to plaque buildup, which can lead to insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle. This condition can indeed result in serious complications, the most significant of which are heart attacks and strokes.

A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is interrupted, often due to a clot that forms at the site of a plaque rupture within a narrowed coronary artery. This lack of blood flow can lead to the death of heart muscle cells, causing permanent damage and potentially leading to heart failure.

A stroke, on the other hand, can occur when a blockage in the blood vessels supplying the brain prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching brain tissue. This blockage may arise from fat deposits or clots that originate in the heart or arteries, particularly when CAD is present. Thus, the interaction between the heart and brain's blood supply means that a patient with coronary artery disease is also at an increased risk for stroke.

Given this understanding, both a heart attack and stroke are complications that can arise from untreated or severe coronary artery disease, making the correct response both logical and supported by medical evidence.