Coronary

• Coronary artery disease (CAD), is a condition brought on by atherosclerosis, an accumulation of fatty deposits called plaque that block the arteries and obstruct the heart's intake of blood.
  
  

Pulmonary

• Pulmonary artery disease is medically referred to as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It affects arteries connecting the lungs to the heart. PAH is brought on by one of 3 types of change: a tightening of artery walls, formation of blood clots or walls becoming stiff from an overgrowth of cells.
  
  

Significance

• "These changes make it hard for the heart to push blood through the arteries and into the lungs," says the National Heart Lung Blood Institute of the United States. "Thus, the pressure in the arteries rises." This increased pressure fatigues the heart, potentially leading to heart failure.
  
  

Symptoms

• Shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, fainting, chest pain, swelling in ankles, legs and abdomen, a bluish tinge on lips and skin, and heart palpitations are signals of PAH. According to The Mayo Clinic, "The signs and symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are subtle in the early stages of the disease and may not be noticeable for months or even years."
  
  

Identification

• CAD and PAH are similar in that each damages the heart by making it more difficult for blood to move through coronary arteries. Patients sometimes suffer from both disorders, but the two are not necessarily medically intertwined nor related.