Medicines after a heart attack and "Coronary heart disease"). The medicines can help you live longer and prevent blockages in your blood vessels from getting worse. Some also help treat chest pain and other heart symptoms. � �
If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes (high blood sugar), your doctor will likely prescribe medicines to treat those conditions. � �
It's important to take your medicines exactly the way your doctor says. Let your doctor or nurse know if you have any side effects or problems with the medicines. You should also let him or her know if you can't afford your medicines. There are often ways to solve these problems. � �
What is cardiac rehab? " � Cardiac rehab (short for "cardiac rehabilitation " �) is a program that your doctor might recommend for you. At cardiac rehab, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals teach you how to keep your heart healthy. They will help you: � �
- Exercise safely " � Getting regular exercise can help keep your heart healthy. Your doctor or nurse will work with you to make an exercise program that is safe for you. He or she will tell you how often and how hard to exercise. Each time you exercise, make sure to warm up for 5 to 10 minutes first. Then you can do "aerobic exercise " � for at least 20 minutes. Aerobic exercise raises your heart rate and includes activities such as walking, swimming, and jogging. After you work out, make sure to cool down for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Improve your diet " � Eating the right foods can help keep your heart healthy. Fruits, vegetables, and foods with fiber can help prevent heart disease and strokes (figure 2). Try to avoid eating foods that can make heart disease worse. These include "trans " � fats, which are found in many fast foods. "Saturated " � fats, which are found in red meats and many cheeses, can also worsen heart disease.
- Lose weight, if you are overweight.
- Quit smoking, if you smoke " � Stopping smoking can lower your chance of getting or dying from heart disease. To quit, you can try nicotine patches, gum, or nasal sprays. (Nicotine is the main drug in cigarettes.) You can also try a prescription medicine to help stop cigarette cravings.
- Cope with feeling sad or worried " � Many people feel sad or worried after CABG. Your doctor or counselor can help you with these feelings and, if needed, treat your depression.
- Reduce the stress in your life " � Stress can worsen heart disease.
When can I have sex again? " � Check with your doctor about when it is safe to start having sex again. If you had a heart attack, the timing will depend on your heart attack and if you still have symptoms. � �
After CABG, some people are less interested in sex or do not enjoy sex as much. This can be a side effect of certain heart medicines. It can also happen if people are sad or worried about having a heart attack during sex. If you have problems with sex, let your doctor or nurse know. He or she might be able to treat those problems. � �
When can I drive again? " � Check with your doctor. He or she might not want you to drive again until your chest has healed from your surgery. � �
Which symptoms should I watch for? " � It's important to watch for chest pain or symptoms of a heart attack (figure 3). But it is uncommon for people to have a heart attack in the months after CABG. � �
If you think you might be having a heart attack, call for an ambulance right away (in the US and Canada, dial 9-1-1). Do not try to get to the hospital on your own. � �
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 16429 Version 3.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.208 � �
� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �
figure 1
Coronary heart disease
In people with coronary heart disease, the coronary arteries get clogged with fatty deposits called plaques.
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Coronary heart disease
In people with coronary heart disease, the coronary arteries get clogged with fatty deposits called plaques.
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figure 2
Foods with fiber
Foods with a lot of fiber include prunes, apples, oranges, bananas, peas, green beans, kidney beans, cooked oatmeal, almonds, peanuts, and whole-wheat bread.
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Foods with fiber
Foods with a lot of fiber include prunes, apples, oranges, bananas, peas, green beans, kidney beans, cooked oatmeal, almonds, peanuts, and whole-wheat bread.
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figure 3
Heart attack symptoms
This picture shows the main symptoms of a heart attack. People who are having a heart attack often have only some of these symptoms. The pain, pressure, and discomfort caused by a heart attack mostly affect the left side of the body (shown in darker red) but can also affect the right. If you think you are having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 for an ambulance. Do not try to get yourself to the hospital.
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Heart attack symptoms
This picture shows the main symptoms of a heart attack. People who are having a heart attack often have only some of these symptoms. The pain, pressure, and discomfort caused by a heart attack mostly affect the left side of the body (shown in darker red) but can also affect the right. If you think you are having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 for an ambulance. Do not try to get yourself to the hospital.
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� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �