The skilled providers at Tampa General Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute have extensive experience treating coronary artery disease (CAD), a relatively common type of heart disease that occurs when the coronary arteries fail to supply a sufficient amount of blood to the heart. The coronary arteries are responsible for carrying oxygenated blood to the heart, but when plaque builds up along the arterial walls, it can narrow the arteries and make it more difficult for blood to move through the vessels and reach the heart. Because the heart requires oxygen and nutrients to effectively function, this reduction in blood flow can lead to potentially life-threatening complications such as a heart attack.
What Are the Causes & Risk Factors of Coronary Artery Disease?
Coronary artery disease (also referred to as coronary heart disease or ischemic heart disease) is most commonly caused by a buildup of plaque along the arterial walls (atherosclerosis). When plaque lines the walls of the coronary arteries, it makes the vessels narrower, leaving less room for blood to flow through them to the heart as intended. In some cases, the coronary arteries can become so narrow that they completely block blood from reaching the heart. The plaque in question usually accumulates gradually over the course of many years and is typically composed of cholesterol, fats and other substances.
While anyone can develop coronary artery disease, certain people have a higher-than-normal chance of experiencing the condition. Some of the risk factors for coronary artery disease include:
- Being older
- Being a man (notably, women’s risk of developing coronary artery disease increases once they go through menopause)
- Having high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Having high cholesterol
- Having high levels of triglycerides
- Having diabetes or insulin resistance
- Having chronic kidney disease
- Having high levels of homocysteine
- Having high levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)
- Having obstructive sleep apnea
- Having certain autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Eating a diet high in saturated fats, sodium, sugar and trans fats
- Consuming too much alcohol
- Failing to get enough exercise
- Being obese
- Smoking or using other forms of tobacco (this includes being exposed to secondhand smoke)
- Sleeping too little or too much (experts generally recommend that adults get approximately seven to nine hours of sleep each night)
- Having high stress levels
- Having a family history of heart disease
In certain cases, pregnant women may also have an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease. For example, you may be at risk if you develop diabetes, high blood pressure or preeclampsia during pregnancy.
What Are the Symptoms & Warning Signs of Coronary Artery Disease?
When coronary artery disease prevents the heart from receiving as much blood as it needs, it can cause the following symptoms:
- Chest pain (angina) – In addition to feeling pain within your chest, you may experience a sensation of heaviness, squeezing, pressure or tightness, almost as if there is a large weight resting on your chest. The chest pain associated with coronary artery disease typically develops in the middle or left side of the chest, and women often experience a brief, sharp pain in their neck, back or arm.
- Shortness of breath – Coronary artery disease can cause you to feel like you can’t catch your breath.
- Fatigue – The heart’s main purpose is to pump blood throughout the body so that the other body parts have all the oxygen and nutrients they need to effectively function. But if coronary artery disease prevents the heart from receiving the oxygenated blood it requires itself, then the heart can’t do its job and pump a sufficient amount of blood to the rest of the body. This can cause you to feel excessively tired.
Because coronary artery disease is a progressive condition, symptoms typically worsen over time. Symptoms may not even be noticeable at first, and when they do begin appearing, they could be intermittent and occur only when your heart is beating harder than normal (e.g., when you’re exercising or experiencing strong emotions). If plaque continues building up in your coronary arteries over time, however, then the resulting symptoms may occur more frequently or present more severely.
Common Heart Attack Symptoms
If coronary artery disease completely blocks blood from reaching your heart, it can lead to a heart attack, which is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate medical attention. You may be having a heart attack if you experience:
- Chest pain, aching, pressure, squeezing or tightness (this discomfort may spread to your teeth, jaw, neck, back, shoulder, arm or upper abdomen)
- Heartburn
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Cold sweats
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 or get to a hospital as soon as possible.
Notably, when some people are having a heart attack (often women, older individuals and those with diabetes), their symptoms are so minor that they don’t appear to be connected to heart problems at all. And in some cases, heart attacks don’t cause any noticeable symptoms. For this reason, it’s important to carefully monitor yourself for any changes, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with coronary artery disease or have any risk factors for the condition.
Diagnosis & Tests for Coronary Artery Disease
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of coronary artery disease—including chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath and fatigue—it’s important to promptly consult with a physician. Your doctor will likely begin the visit by asking about your personal and family medical histories and any symptoms you’ve been experiencing. You may be asked what your symptoms involve, when you first started noticing them, whether they’ve changed over time, whether they seem to get worse in certain situations, whether any at-home treatments have helped relieve them, and whether there’s any other explainable reason for them. Your physician will also perform a thorough physical examination.
If your health care provider suspects that you have coronary artery disease, they may order one or more of the following tests to confirm the diagnosis:
- Blood tests
- Cardiac catheterization and angiogram
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
- Exercise stress test
- Nuclear stress test
How Do You Treat Coronary Artery Disease?
Many people successfully manage their coronary artery disease by making certain lifestyle changes and taking certain medications. However, if your condition is especially severe, you may require surgery. Your physician will be able to recommend the treatment approach that’s best suited to your specific circumstances.
Treating Coronary Artery Disease With Lifestyle Changes
If your doctor diagnoses you with coronary artery disease, they may recommend that you make certain lifestyle changes to manage your condition, possibly including:
- Eating a more nutritious diet
- Incorporating more exercise into your life
- Quitting smoking
- Reducing stress
Treating Coronary Artery Disease With Medication
Doctors often prescribe certain medications to treat coronary artery disease. Depending on your specific needs, your medical provider may recommend that you begin taking:
- Angiotensin 2 receptor blockers (ARBs)
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Aspirin
- Beta blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
- Cholesterol medication (e.g., bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin and statins)
- Nitroglycerin
- Ranolazine
If your physician prescribes any of these medications, it’s important to take them as directed. Your doctor can walk you through exactly what to expect with your new medication regimen, including any potential side effects.
Treating Coronary Artery Disease With Surgery
With more severe cases of coronary artery disease, your doctor may recommend that you undergo surgery to repair the blocked vessel and restore blood flow to your heart. Some of the procedures commonly used to treat coronary artery disease include:
- Coronary angioplasty and stent placement – During this procedure, your surgeon will use a catheter to insert a tiny balloon into the affected artery, and then they’ll inflate the balloon to widen the artery and improve blood flow. They may also opt to insert a stent to help prevent the artery from narrowing again in the future.
- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery – During this procedure, your surgeon will remove an artery or a vein from another part of your body and then reattach it near the vessel that has been narrowed due to coronary artery disease. The reattached vessel will serve as a new pathway so that blood can better reach your heart.
What Are the Complications & Long-Term Effects of Coronary Artery Disease?
One of the most common complications of coronary artery disease is a heart attack. If blood flow through your coronary arteries is restricted so much that your heart can’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to properly function, you may:
- Feel pain or an aching, squeezing or tight sensation within your chest (this could also spread to your teeth, jaw, neck, back, shoulder, arm or upper abdomen)
- Experience heartburn
- Have shortness of breath
- Feel nauseated
- Have cold sweats
- Feel lightheaded or dizzy
- Be fatigued
A heart attack is a life-threatening emergency, so if you’re experiencing symptoms like these, be sure to call 911 or get to a nearby hospital as quickly as possible.
Other complications of coronary artery disease include:
- Blood clots (in some cases, the plaque that builds up along the coronary artery walls bursts, producing a clot that can make it even more difficult for blood to flow through the vessel)
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
How Do You Prevent & Reduce Your Risk of Coronary Artery Disease?
To reduce your chances of developing coronary artery disease, you should focus on mitigating any of the controllable risk factors for the condition. Some risk factors—such as age, sex and family history—can’t be avoided. However, there are certain steps you can take to address other risk factors and maintain your overall heart health. For example, you should:
- Eat a nutritious diet that’s rich in fruits, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, vegetables and whole grains and low in saturated fats, sodium, sugar and trans fats
- Reduce your alcohol intake
- Exercise more often (with your doctor’s approval)
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Quit smoking and any other tobacco use and avoid secondhand smoke
- Be sure to get seven to nine hours of restful sleep each night
- Manage your stress levels
- Monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
- Attend regular checkups (because many of the risk factors for coronary artery disease have no noticeable symptoms in their early stages, regularly attending checkups can help increase your chances of early detection and improve treatment outcomes)
Living With Coronary Artery Disease
Receiving a coronary artery disease diagnosis can be stressful, but it’s important to remember that while this condition should be taken seriously, it’s also very common and manageable. The recommended course of treatment for coronary artery disease will vary from one person to another based on factors such as their overall health and how far the condition has progressed, so you should carefully follow your doctor’s instructions, as they’ll be customized to your specific needs. You should also take care to address any controllable risk factors that may be present.
The TGH Difference for Coronary Artery Disease
Prompt diagnosis and treatment can make a tremendous difference with coronary artery disease—failing to properly treat the condition can lead to potentially life-threatening complications such as a heart attack, blood clots, heart failure or irregular heart rhythms. So, if you’re experiencing symptoms such as chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath or fatigue, don’t wait to seek the care you need.
Tampa General Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute is your top choice for coronary artery disease diagnosis and treatment in Tampa, FL. Our multidisciplinary team is committed to providing every patient we treat with world-class care, and it’s this unwavering dedication that’s helped us earn designation as:
- One of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Heart Programs by Becker’s Hospital Review
- One of America’s Best Specialized Hospitals for Cardiac Care in 2025 by Newsweek
- One of the Nation's Best Hospitals for Heart & Vascular Care and a High Performing Hospital for Heart Attack, Heart Arrhythmia and Heart Failure Treatment for 2025-26 by U.S. News & World Report
Our affiliation with the University of South Florida reflects our devotion to delivering first-rate care. Thanks to this partnership, we’re at the forefront of academic health care, groundbreaking research and advanced clinical trials that can benefit our patients.
Contact Tampa General Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute today to take the next step with coronary artery disease diagnosis and treatment. Call us at (813) 844-3900 or email us at heart-vascular@tgh.org.