- Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called ischemic heart disease (IHD), affects millions of Americans and is a leading cause of death. Risk factors include age, family history, high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. - CAD involves the narrowing of the coronary arteries due to atherosclerosis. Symptoms include chest pain or angina that is often brought on by exertion. Diagnosis involves risk factor evaluation, ECG, stress tests, and angiography. - Treatment focuses on aggressively modifying risk factors through smoking cessation, blood pressure and cholesterol control, weight loss, and antiplatelet drugs like aspirin. Calcium channel blockers and nitrates are used to treat