Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - FAQ

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Frequently asked questions

A: Diabetes causes high blood sugar. High blood sugar can damage your heart's blood vessels and lead to coronary artery disease.

People with diabetes are also more likely to have other conditions that increase their risk for heart disease.

A: You have a higher risk of coronary artery disease if a close family member developed heart disease, especially at a young age.

Learn more about the risk factors for coronary artery disease.

A: No, once your heart is damaged, it cannot be cured or reversed.

Fortunately, there are very good medications and treatments to control coronary artery disease if the condition is discovered early.

You can prevent further damage with lifestyle changes, medication or surgery. With good management, you can still live life fully despite having coronary artery disease.

Learn more about coronary artery disease treatment.

A: Coronary artery disease is a common disease. In Singapore, cardiovascular diseases (heart diseases and stroke) accounted for 31.7% of deaths in 2020.

A: Some people may not feel any symptoms until they are on the verge of a heart attack or heart failure. Others may experience symptoms such as chest pain, general feeling of pressure or shortness of breath. If you are a woman, older or have diabetes, you may have different symptoms.

You are encouraged to have regular health checks for risk factors associated with heart diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. If you have multiple risk factors for heart disease it would be advisable to undergo further health screening to detect or exclude coronary artery disease early.

Learn more about the symptoms of coronary artery disease.

A: Heart failure occurs when the heart does not pump blood as well as it should. If you have coronary artery disease, the narrowed arteries in the heart gradually leave it too weak or stiff to fill and pump blood properly.

Learn more about the complications and related diseases of coronary artery disease.

A: Toxic chemicals in cigarettes can damage your heart and blood vessels. It also causes plaque to accumulate in your blood vessels.

A: Cardiovascular disease refers to all types of diseases affecting the heart or blood vessels.

Coronary artery disease is a type of cardiovascular disease involving the coronary arteries only. However, these terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

A: No, high blood pressure is a condition in which the amount of force exerted by your blood on your artery walls is higher than normal. It can lead to coronary artery disease over time.

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