The ASHD medical abbreviation stands for arteriosclerotic heart disease, also written as atherosclerotic heart disease, which means the vessels supplying the heart muscle have become narrowed and stiff from fatty plaque. In everyday practice it describes the same condition most clinicians now call coronary artery disease.
ASHD turns up on older problem lists, in cardiology notes, on death certificates and in medical coding. Students and coders often search for it alongside its ICD-10 code. Below you will find the meaning of each word, how ASHD compares with CAD, how it is coded and what it looks like in a real chart.
At a glance
Stands for
Arteriosclerotic (atherosclerotic) heart diseaseSame idea as
CAD, coronary artery diseaseICD-10 category
I25.1, with I25.10 when no angina is documentedSpecialty
Cardiology, primary care, codingWhere you see it
Problem lists, death certificates, coding recordsDo not confuse with
ASCVD, a broader term for artery disease anywhere
Word roots inside ASHD
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| arteri/o | Artery |
| scler/o + osis | Hardening, an abnormal condition |
| ather/o | Fatty, porridge-like deposit (plaque) |
| Heart disease | The heart is the organ affected |
Arteriosclerosis is the general hardening and thickening of artery walls, while atherosclerosis is the most common type, caused by plaque buildup. In heart charts the two words are often used as if they were the same, which is why ASHD can be expanded either way without changing what the writer meant.
What the ASHD medical abbreviation describes
Over many years, cholesterol, fat, calcium and inflammatory cells collect in the walls of the coronary arteries. The plaque narrows the channel and can limit blood flow when the heart works harder, which may cause chest pain called angina. When the surface of a plaque ruptures, a clot may build up over the break and shut off flow, causing a heart attack, written MI.
Many people with ASHD have no symptoms for a long time. It may be found on a stress test, a heart scan showing calcium, or a cardiac catheterization. Smoking, raised blood pressure, diabetes, a high LDL level, age and close relatives with early heart disease all add to the likelihood.
ASHD, CAD and similar labels compared
| Abbreviation | Full term | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| ASHD | Arteriosclerotic heart disease | Plaque in the coronary arteries; older wording |
| CAD | Coronary artery disease | Same condition; the most common modern label |
| IHD | Ischemic heart disease | Heart muscle short of blood, usually from CAD |
| CHD | Coronary heart disease; in children's charts, congenital heart disease | Usually a synonym for CAD; context decides |
| ASCVD | Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease | Plaque disease in the heart, brain or limbs |
ASHD medical abbreviation ICD 10 coding
In ICD-10-CM, atherosclerotic heart disease of the native coronary arteries sits in category I25.1, under chronic ischemic heart disease. I25.10 is used when there is no angina documented. Codes under I25.11 apply when angina is documented, with extra characters for the type of angina. Plaque inside bypass grafts is coded separately rather than under I25.1.
Coders follow what the clinician writes. A note that says ASHD with stable angina is coded differently from one that says ASHD alone, so the details in the assessment matter. Each organization follows current official coding guidelines, and codes are reviewed against the full record.
ASHD in a real record
Problem list: "ASHD s/p CABG x3, HTN, DM2, HLD. On aspirin and a statin." This reads as plaque disease of the heart arteries, status post coronary bypass surgery on three vessels, along with three common partners: raised pressure, type 2 diabetes and raised lipids.
Death certificate line: "Immediate cause: acute MI. Due to: ASHD." Here ASHD names the long-standing condition that led to the heart attack.
The bypass surgery is written CABG, and a stent procedure would be written PCI.
Questions to raise about an ASHD diagnosis
- Which arteries are affected, and how narrowed are they?
- Is the condition stable, or are symptoms changing?
- Which tests will track it, and how often?
- Which risk factors matter most in my case?
Related heart terms are grouped in the conditions section.
This page offers general background only. How this label applies to your own arteries, and what follows from it, is best talked through with whichever cardiologist or primary clinician has your results in front of them.
Frequently asked questions
What does ASHD stand for in medical terms?
ASHD stands for arteriosclerotic heart disease, sometimes written atherosclerotic heart disease. The label tells you fatty deposits have built up inside the coronary vessels.
Is ASHD the same as CAD?
In practice, yes. Both describe plaque in the coronary arteries. CAD is the more common modern term, while ASHD appears more in older records, coding and death certificates.
Which ICD-10 code fits ASHD?
Atherosclerotic heart disease of the native coronary arteries is coded under I25.1. I25.10 applies when no angina is documented, and codes under I25.11 apply when angina is documented.
Is ASHD the same as ASCVD?
Not exactly. ASHD is limited to the heart arteries, while ASCVD covers plaque disease in the heart, brain and limb arteries together.
Why is ASHD written on death certificates?
Certificates list the chain of conditions leading to death. ASHD is often recorded as the underlying cause behind a heart attack or rhythm problem.