The term "vascular disease" refers to a group of disorders that affect your blood vessels, while "coronary vascular disease" affects the blood vessels that lead to your heart. A more common name for coronary vascular disease is coronary artery disease.

Significance

Approximately 17.6 million Americans have coronary vascular disease, reports the American Heart Association. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

Causes

Coronary vascular disease occurs when the vessels that carry blood to your heart harden and become narrowed, reducing the amount of blood that reaches your heart. Common causes of coronary heart disease include smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Symptoms

Symptoms of coronary vascular disease include chest pain during physical or emotional stress, and shortness of breath. Some people discover they have coronary artery disease after a heart attack, which can produce sudden chest and pain in the shoulder, arm, back or jaw; shortness of breath; sweating and nausea.

Treatment

Doctors prescribe cholesterol-lowering medications, drugs to improve blood flow such as aspirin, beta blockers and nitroglycerin, and other medications. Doctors also use surgery to remove artery blockages or to create new paths for blood to reach the heart.

Prevention

Ways to reduce your risk of developing coronary vascular disease include regular physical exercise, a healthful diet low in fat and cholesterol, a healthy weight, learning to manage or reduce stress, and not smoking, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Source:

FamilyDoctor.org: Vascular Disease

Mayo Clinic: Coronary Artery Disease

American Heart Association: Cardiovascular Disease