Treatment For Heart Disease

The treatment for coronary heart disease (CHD) usually is the same for both women and men. The treatment may include lifestyle changes, medicines, medical and surgical procedures, and cardiac rehabilitation (rehab). Making lifestyle changes can help prevent or treat CHD. These changes may be the only treatment that some people need.

The goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms and reduce the risk factors to slow, stop, or reverse the buildup of plaque. It's also important to lower the risk of blood clots forming, as blood clots can cause a heart attack. Heart disease treatment also attempts to widen or bypass plaque-clogged coronary (heart) arteries as well as prevent CHD complications.

1Be Physically Active

Regular physical activity can lower many CHD risk factors, including high LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess weight. Physical activity also can reduce your risk of diabetes and raise your HDL cholesterol level. HDL cholesterol helps remove cholesterol from your arteries.

Talk to your doctor before you start a new exercise plan. Ask him or her how much and what kinds of physical activity are safe for you. People gain health benefits from as little as 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Walking is an excellent heart-healthy exercise. The more active you are, the more you will benefit.

2Follow A Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet includes a variety of vegetables and fruits. These foods can be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. A good rule is to try to fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruits.

A healthy diet also includes whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and protein foods, such as lean meats, poultry without skin, seafood, processed soy products, nuts, seeds, beans, and peas. Choose and prepare foods with little sodium (salt). Too much salt can raise your risk for high blood pressure. Studies show that following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan can lower blood pressure.

3Medicine For Heart Disease

You may need medicines to treat CHD if lifestyle changes aren't enough. Medicines can help reduce your heart's workload and relieve CHD symptoms. They can decrease your chance of having a heart attack or dying suddenly, lower your LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and other CHD risk factors, and prevent blood clots; they can also prevent or delay the need for a procedure or surgery, such as angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Women who have coronary microvascular disease and anemia may benefit from taking medicine to treat the anemia. Women who have broken heart syndrome also may need medicines. Doctors may prescribe medicines to relieve fluid buildup, treat blood pressure problems, prevent blood clots, and manage stress hormones. Most people who have broken heart syndrome make a full recovery within weeks.

4Procedures And Surgery

You may need a procedure or surgery to treat CHD. You and your doctor can discuss which treatment is right for you. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), commonly known as angioplasty, is a nonsurgical procedure that opens blocked or narrowed coronary arteries. A thin, flexible tube with a balloon or other device at the end is threaded through a blood vessel to the narrowed or blocked coronary artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to compress the plaque against the wall of the artery, which restores the blood flow through the artery.

CABG is a type of surgery. During CABG, a surgeon removes the arteries or veins from other areas in your body and uses them to bypass (that is, go around) narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. This creates a new path for the oxygen-rich blood to flow to the heart muscle. Surgeons can bypass multiple coronary arteries during one surgery. CABG can improve the blood flow to your heart, relieve chest pain, and possibly prevent a heart attack.

5Quit Smoking And Avoid Secondhand Smoke

If you smoke or use tobacco, try to quit. Smoking can raise your risk for CHD and heart attack and worsen other CHD risk factors. Talk to your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke.

If you find it hard to quit smoking on your own, consider joining a support group. Many hospitals, workplaces, and community groups offer classes to help people quit smoking. There are immediate and long-term health benefits of quitting for all smokers. People of all ages who have already developed smoking-related health problems can still benefit from quitting.

6Maintain A Healthy Weight

Overweight and obesity are risk factors for CHD. If you're overweight or obese, try to lose weight. Cut back your calorie intake and do more physical activity. Eat smaller portions and choose low-calorie foods.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a dietitian to help you manage your weight. A BMI of less than 25 and a waist circumference of 35 inches or less is the goal for preventing and treating CHD. BMI measures your weight in relation to your height and gives an estimate of your total body fat.

7Stop Stress And Depression

Research shows that getting upset or angry can trigger a heart attack. Also, some of the ways people use to cope with stress, such as drinking, smoking, or overeating, aren't heart-healthy. Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health.

Having supportive people in your life with whom you can share your feelings or concerns can help relieve stress. Physical activity, yoga, and relaxation therapy can also help relieve stress. You may want to consider taking part in a stress management program.

Your doctor will diagnose coronary heart disease (CHD) based on your medical and family histories, your risk factors for CHD, a physical exam, and the results from tests and procedures. Cardiovascular disease treatments vary widely and can include lifestyle changes, medications, surgery, stents, pacemakers, and ablation. Heart disease treatments vary by condition. For instance, if you have a heart infection, you'll likely be given antibiotics.

In general, treatment for heart disease usually includes lifestyle changes, medications, medical procedures, and surgery. When a heart attack happens, any delays in treatment can be deadly. Knowing the warning symptoms of a heart attack and how to take action can save your life or someone else's.