What Are Some Symptoms of a Lad Artery Blockage?
Symptoms associated with left anterior descending artery blockage, which is due to coronary artery disease, include shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, pain that radiates arms, shoulders, neck, jaw or back, and pain, heaviness, tightness or pressure in the chest area behind the breastbone, states Johns Hopkins Medicine. The left anterior descending artery or LAD is the most common to develop blockage, according to the University of Minnesota.
The LAD artery provides the major blood supply to the specific areas of the heart, explains the University of Minnesota. A blockage of this artery can lead to serious health problems or result in the death of heart tissue, resulting in a heart attack. Coronary artery disease, which is referred to as CAD, is the result of fatty deposits building up inside the walls of the arteries, states Johns Hopkins Medicine. These fatty deposits can develop when a person is young and continue to grow over many years. This narrows the arteries and blocks or decreases the amount of blood flow to the heart.
Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. It is estimated that 16 million Americans suffer from this disease. Risk factors for CAD development include diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, physical inactivity and obesity.
