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Quit smoking, if you smoke.Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products, but not a lot of meat or fatty foods.Walk or do some form of physically activity on most days of the week.Lose weight, if you are overweight.Medicines " � The medicines to treat heart disease are very important. Some medicines lower your risk of heart attacks and can help you live longer. But you must take them every day, as directed. Medicines your doctor might prescribe include:- Medicines called statins, which lower cholesterol
- Medicines to lower blood pressure
- Aspirin or other medicines that help prevent blood clots
- Medicines to treat diabetes
People who have chest pain caused by coronary heart disease (called "angina " �) can also get medicines to relive their pain. These medicines might include "nitrates, " � "beta blockers, " � and others. � �
Some people with coronary heart disease can also have: � �
- Angioplasty (also known as "stenting " �) " � During angioplasty or stenting, the doctor sends a thin tube with a balloon at the end of it to the blockage. Then the doctor inflates the balloon to open the blockage. Often the doctor props open the artery using a tiny mesh tube called a stent.
- Bypass surgery (also known as "coronary artery bypass grafting " � or CABG) " � During bypass surgery, the doctor removes a piece of blood vessel from another part of the body. Then he or she reattaches the blood vessel above and below the area that is clogged. This re-routes blood around the clog, and allows it to get to the part of the heart that was not getting blood (figure 3).
If your doctor recommends angioplasty or bypass surgery, ask these questions: � �
- What are the benefits of this procedure for me? Will the procedure help me live longer? Will it reduce my chance of having a heart attack? Will I feel better if I have this procedure?
- What are the risks of the procedure?
- What happens if I don't have this procedure?
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 15331 Version 13.0 � �
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
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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figure 3
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery
During coronary artery bypass surgery, the surgeon removes a piece of blood vessel from the leg, chest, arm, or belly. Then the surgeon uses that piece of blood vessel (called a "graft") to reroute blood around the blocked artery. The surgery is called "bypass surgery" because it bypasses the blockage. Some people have more than one blocked artery bypassed. In this picture, the graft came from a vein in the leg called the "saphenous vein. " � But grafts can come from other places, too.
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Coronary artery bypass graft surgery
During coronary artery bypass surgery, the surgeon removes a piece of blood vessel from the leg, chest, arm, or belly. Then the surgeon uses that piece of blood vessel (called a "graft") to reroute blood around the blocked artery. The surgery is called "bypass surgery" because it bypasses the blockage. Some people have more than one blocked artery bypassed. In this picture, the graft came from a vein in the leg called the "saphenous vein. " � But grafts can come from other places, too.
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� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �