coronary heart disease: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2medical, formal, academic, health journalism
Quick answer
What does “coronary heart disease” mean?
A disease in which the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A disease in which the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
A chronic, progressive condition that is the most common type of cardiovascular disease, often caused by atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the coronary arteries). It can lead to serious complications like angina (chest pain), heart attacks (myocardial infarctions), and heart failure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. 'Coronary artery disease' (CAD) is a slightly more precise synonym used interchangeably in both varieties, perhaps slightly more frequent in American medical texts.
Connotations
Identical technical and lay connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
The term is of equal high frequency in medical and public health contexts in both the UK and US.
Grammar
How to Use “coronary heart disease” in a Sentence
Patient + has/suffers from + coronary heart disease.Coronary heart disease + is caused by/leads to + complication.Treatment/Prevention + of + coronary heart disease.Risk factor + for + coronary heart disease.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coronary heart disease” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The patient was diagnosed as having coronaried.
American English
- He coronaried last year but has recovered well.
adjective
British English
- He has a coronary condition.
- Coronary care units are vital in hospitals.
American English
- She has coronary artery disease.
- Coronary surgery is common.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in health insurance, corporate wellness programmes, or pharmaceutical contexts.
Academic
Frequent in medical, biological, epidemiological, and public health research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Common in health discussions, news reports about diet/exercise, and personal/family medical history.
Technical
The standard, precise term in cardiology, clinical diagnosis, and medical guidelines.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “coronary heart disease”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “coronary heart disease”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coronary heart disease”
- Misspelling as 'coronory' or 'coronery'.
- Using 'coronary' as a noun on its own to mean 'heart attack' (e.g., 'He had a coronary') in formal medical writing where 'coronary heart disease' or 'myocardial infarction' is required.
- Confusing it with 'congestive heart failure', which is a potential consequence.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Coronary heart disease is the chronic, underlying condition of narrowed arteries. A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is an acute event that can be caused by CHD when a coronary artery becomes completely blocked.
The most common symptom is angina: chest pain, pressure, or tightness, often triggered by physical exertion or stress. Some people have no symptoms until they suffer a heart attack.
It cannot be 'cured' in the sense of being completely reversed, but it can be effectively managed and its progression halted or slowed through lifestyle changes, medication, and procedures like stents or bypass surgery.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an umbrella term for all diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including stroke and peripheral artery disease. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a specific type of CVD that affects only the arteries supplying the heart muscle.
A disease in which the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
Coronary heart disease is usually medical, formal, academic, health journalism in register.
Coronary heart disease: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒr.ən.ə.ri hɑːt dɪˌziːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːr.ə.ner.i hɑːrt dɪˌziːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A ticking time bomb (referring to undiagnosed CHD)”
- “A broken heart (emotional, not medical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CROWN (corona) of arteries sitting on top of the heart. When these crowned arteries get diseased, you have CORONARY heart disease.
Conceptual Metaphor
PIPES CLOGGING: The coronary arteries are conceptualised as pipes or tubes that can become clogged (with plaque/atheroma), restricting the vital flow (blood/oxygen).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most precise synonym for 'coronary heart disease'?