How is Coronary Heart Disease Treated?

Treatments for coronary heart disease include:

• Heart-healthy Lifestyle Changes
• Medicines
• Medical procedures and surgery
• Cardiac Rehabilitation

Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Heart-healthy lifestyle changes include:

• Heart-healthy Eating
• Maintaining a Healthy Weight
• Managing Stress
• Physical Activity
• Quitting Smoking

Heart-healthy Eating

Your doctor may recommend heart-healthy eating, which should include:

• Fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as fat-free milk
• Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and trout, about twice a week
• Fruits, such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears, and prunes
• Legumes, such as kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lima beans
• Vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and carrots
• Whole grains, such as oatmeal, brown rice, and corn tortillas

When following a heart-healthy diet, you should avoid eating:

• A lot of red meat
• Palm and coconut oils
• Sugary foods and beverages

Two nutrients in your diet make blood cholesterol levels rise:

• Saturated fat—found mostly in foods that come from animals
• Trans fat (trans fatty acids)—found in foods made with hydrogenated oils and fats, such as stick margarine; baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, and pies; crackers; frostings; and coffee creamers. Some trans fats also occur naturally in animal fats and meats.

Not all fats are bad. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats actually help lower blood cholesterol levels. Some sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are:

• Avocados
• Corn, sunflower, and soybean oils
• Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts
• Olive, canola, peanut, safflower, and sesame oils
• Peanut butter
• Salmon and trout
• Tofu

Sodium

Try to use low-sodium and “no added salt” foods and seasonings at the table or while cooking.

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

The DASH eating plan focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium and salt.

Alcohol

Try to limit alcohol intake.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Knowing your body mass index (BMI) helps you find out if you’re a healthy weight in relation to your height and gives an estimate of your total body fat.

• Below 18.5 is a sign that you are underweight.
• Between 18.5 and 24.9 is in the normal range.
• Between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
• Of 30 or more is considered obese.

A general goal to aim for is a BMI of less than 25.

Measuring waist circumference helps screen for possible health risks. If most of your fat is around your waist rather than at your hips, you’re at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

This risk may be high with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men.

If you’re overweight or obese, try to lose weight

Managing Stress

Research shows that the most commonly reported “trigger” for a heart attack is an emotionally upsetting event—particularly one involving anger.

Also, some of the ways people cope with stress—such as drinking, smoking, or overeating—aren’t healthy.

Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health. Consider healthy stress-reducing activities, such as:

• A stress management program
• Meditation
• Physical activity
• Relaxation therapy
• Talking things out with friends or family

Physical Activity

Everyone should try to participate in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week, or vigorous aerobic exercise for 1 hour and 15 minutes per week. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, is any exercise in which your heart beats faster and you use more oxygen than usual. The more active you are, the more you will benefit. Participate in aerobic exercise for at least 10 minutes at a time spread throughout the week.

Quitting Smoking

If you smoke, quit. Smoking can raise your risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack and worsen other coronary heart disease risk factors.

Medicines

Sometimes lifestyle changes aren’t enough to control your blood cholesterol levels. Doctors usually prescribe statins for people who have:

• Coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease, or had a stroke
• Diabetes
• High LDL cholesterol levels

Your doctor also may prescribe other medications to:

• Decrease your chance of having a heart attack or dying suddenly.
• Lower your blood pressure.
• Prevent blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
• Prevent or delay the need for a stent or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or surgery, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).