Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. Also known as coronary heart disease, it affects about 13 million men and women in the United States. The cause of coronary artery disease is atherosclerosis — the gradual buildup of plaques in blood vessels that feed the heart, the coronary arteries.

Over time, these plaques — deposits of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other cellular sludge from your blood — can narrow the coronary arteries, so less blood flows to the heart muscle. Diminished blood flow to the heart can cause chest pain, or angina. A sudden, complete blockage can lead to a heart attack. Each year, more than 500,000 Americans die of complications of coronary artery disease.

The problem is that many people who have this form of heart disease aren't aware they have it. CAD develops slowly and silently over decades. It can go virtually unnoticed until it produces a heart attack. CAD varies both in signs and symptoms and in severity. It may produce no symptoms, or it can produce chest pain of varying degrees as well as shortness of breath. It may also result in a heart attack.

Several factors place you at added risk of coronary artery disease. Some, like your sex (men are generally at greater risk than are women for heart disease) or your age (most people who die of coronary artery disease are older than 65), cannot be controlled. Others, like smoking, high blood pressure, obesity and stress, can be addressed through medication or lifestyle changes.

These lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthier or quitting smoking, may be the only treatment necessary for some with coronary artery disease. You can prevent or slow CAD by taking steps to improve the health of your heart and blood vessels. Drugs and surgical techniques can repair narrowed coronary arteries, but the best long-term solution is to make lifestyle choices that can help control the risk factors for the disease.