|  | Conditions Treatments | Cardiovascular Disease

How to Treat Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary Artery Disease, known simply as CAD, can refer to many different types of heart problems. Coronary artery disease is one of the most serious health problems facing people today, and is due to a combination of weakening cardiovascular muscles and plaque build up on the interior walls of blood vessels. It is treated through diet, exercise, medication and possibly surgery.

Things You'll Need

  • Surgery
  • Heart healthy diet
  • Prescription medications
  • Exercise
Show More

Instructions

  1. Treat Coronary Artery Disease

    • 1

      Get an accurate diagnosis from your doctor. You can't treat CAD if you haven't identified it properly.

    • 2

      Identify the type of coronary artery disease you have. This will change how you treat it. Different types of CAD require different medications to control the symptoms. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute website discusses some of the different types of CAD (see Resources below).

    • 3

      Start with changes to your lifestyle. It may sound simple, but minor lifestyle changes can have a profound impact on your overall health and can dramatically improve your heart's health.

    • 4

      Eat a heart healthy diet that is high in fiber and antioxidants, but low in fat and cholesterol. The body produces all the cholesterol it really needs and excess cholesterol contributes to the build up of plaque in the arteries, which is at the heart of coronary artery disease.

    • 5

      Treat heart disease inexpensively by reducing stress through yoga, meditation or get a massage to relax. Stress is one of the major causes of coronary heart disease, and can lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

    • 6

      Lose weight to reduce the strain on your heart. Cardiovascular exercises strengthen heart muscles and also helps control related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

    • 7

      Take medication when prescribed by a licensed doctor. If diet and exercise alone aren't sufficient, medications can be prescribed to regulate heart arrhythmias, slow down rapid heart beat, reduce blood pressure and keep blood from clotting. Beta-blockers, corticosteroids, calcium channel-blockers and anticoagulants are the most commonly prescribed medications used to treat coronary artery disease.

    • 8

      Undergo surgery. Sometimes surgery is the only option. There are many different types of heart surgery. Some are more invasive than others. Your doctor can tell you what options are available to you and the relative invasiveness of each procedure.

Cardiovascular Disease - Related Articles