Cardiovascular disease refers to the presence of any medical condition that involves the heart, blood vessels, or both. The majority of patients with cardiovascular disease have one or more conditions that affect the heart, and the most common type is coronary artery disease. A diagnosis is often frightening, but persistence, knowledge, and collaboration with a physician make living successfully with cardiovascular disease an achievable outcome.
Lifestyle
For many, lifestyle plays a significant role in the development of cardiovascular disease. The good news is that a few key changes in this area can greatly reduce the risk of further complications and mortality from conditions such as coronary artery disease.
Smoking, frequent alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and high levels of psychosocial stress are strong contributors to cardiovascular disease complications. Refraining from use of all tobacco products and making sure to limit alcohol consumption are necessary for living successfully with cardiovascular disease. In collaboration with a physician, self-relaxation techniques and exercise plans can be created, as lowering stress and exercising regularly reduce risk of heart attack and stroke.
Diet
Obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension often lay the foundation for cardiovascular disease. For some patients with these warning signs, reducing sugar consumption, reducing body fat (if overweight), and eating low-salt or high-fiber foods can greatly diminish the chances of complications from this condition.
Medications
Some of the common medications used to treat cardiovascular disease are statins, ACE inhibitors, and anticoagulants. Statins are used to lower blood cholesterol levels, as high cholesterol has been associated with formation of plaque in arteries. ACE inhibitors lower blood pressure by relaxing arteries through reducing levels of a protein that constricts the smooth muscle found in arterial walls, and anticoagulants reduce the tendency for clot formation, which helps prevent stroke and heart attack.
A certain percentage of patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease have high levels of cholesterol due primarily to genetic factors, so medication that lowers cholesterol is often required in this population. Additionally, patients with a history of heart attack or stroke will be prescribed one or more of the above medications and must continue this pharmacotherapy for many years.
Specific Tips and Suggestions
Most cardiovascular disease diagnoses occur after a serious medical emergency, such as a heart attack or stroke, but this can be avoided with regular visits to your physician and by reducing your risks for the condition. For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension, don’t wait to treat it—long-standing high blood pressure can lead to heart failure. In the same light, inadequately managing diabetes and certain other non-cardiovascular conditions greatly increases risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, the absence of troubling symptoms may act as a barrier to treatment for many patients. Individuals with one or more common cardiovascular diseases often have no overt symptoms until a medical emergency. If you experience serious shortness of breath, chest pain, unexplained swelling of the extremities, fainting, or an irregular heartbeat, seek medical treatment immediately.
