Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is triggered by a condition known as atherosclerosis, which happens when fatty substance and cholesterol deposits called ‘plaque’ builds up on the arterial walls.  Due to the buildup of these substances, the walls of the arteries start to shrink and become narrow.

As a result, blood flow to the heart is slowed down or even stopped, resulting in heart attack, chest pain (stable angina), shortness of breath etc.  Both the coronary heart disease and blood pressure problems have a definite effect on each other.

Coronary heart disease is one of the major causes of deaths worldwide, for both men and women. Though men in their 40s are at greater risk for CHD, women after reaching menopause are at equal risk.

Factors like an inactive lifestyle, obesity, hereditary reasons, diabetes, increased insulin levels, people with hardened arteries in another part of the body (stroke), diabetes and smoking increases the risk for coronary heart disease.  Increased levels of a chemical known as homocysteine, an amino acid, are also studied to be responsible for coronary heart disease.

Let us find out of the effects of coronary heart disease on blood pressure:

1. Reduced Blood Flow: Improper lifestyle like obesity, physical inactivity, stress, high fat diet inclusive of saturated fats and trans-fat, diabetes and smoking can reduce the blood flow and nutrients to the heart, resulting in coronary heart disease.  As a result, the blood pressure (the force of blood against the walls of the arteries) is affected, resulting in hypertension(high blood pressure) or low blood pressure
2. Hypertension: Blood pressure is evaluated as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart beat and diastolic pressure is the pressure when the heart relaxes between the beats. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and shown as systolic over diastolic pressure. High blood pressure happens when the force of blood passing through the blood vessels is more than the normal.  The increase in ‘blood pressure’ forces the blood to hit the walls of the blood vessels.  Coronary heart disease leads to this condition, called hypertension.
3. Control your blood pressure: Since coronary heart disease and high blood pressure are related, it is important that you keep your blood pressure low.  Your doctor should suggest ways to lower your blood pressure. It is very important to lead a healthy lifestyle by eating a healthy diet that have low cholesterol and saturated fats