aetiology of ischaemic heart disease

Last reviewed 01/2018

The vast majority of ischaemic heart disease is caused by coronary artery atherosclerosis.

Rarer causes of ischaemic heart disease include:

  • arteritides:
    • systemic lupus erythematosus
    • polyarteritis nodosa
    • syphilis
    • Takayasu's arteritis
    • rheumatoid arthritis
    • ankylosing spondylitis

  • embolism:
    • infective endocarditis
    • left heart thrombus or tumour
    • prosthetic valve thrombus
    • cardiac catheterisation
    • paradoxical embolism

  • coronary artery wall thickening:
    • amyloidosis
    • radiation therapy
    • Hurler's disease
    • pseudoxanthoma elasticum

  • aortic dissection causing coronary dissection

  • coronary spasm

  • congenital arterial disease:
    • anomalous derivation of coronary arteries from the pulmonary artery
    • arteriovenous fistula