Heart Disease Cures

Heart disease is a term that's used to describe a variety of conditions that have a negative effect on the heart. Heart disease is most often used interchangeably with the term cardiovascular disease which refers to conditions that can result in the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels which can cause heart attacks and stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States among both men and women. Hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and atherosclerosis are the three most common conditions that cause heart disease. These three conditions can all be treated to cure heart disease.

Hypertension Treatment

• According to Medline Plus, hypertension is the medical term that's used to describe high blood pressure. High blood pressure does not usually have symptoms which makes it difficult to know when treatment is needed. The best way to know if you need treatment for your blood pressure level is to visit your doctor at least once every two years after you reach the age of 20, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  According to the New York Times Health Guide, there are a variety of drugs that can be used to treat hypertension including alpha blockers, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, central alpha antagonists, diuretics, rennin inhibitors, and vasodilators. According to the National Institute of Health, blood pressure can also be lowered by following a healthy eating plan and lowering your sodium intake. Reducing your blood pressure is one of the best cures for heart disease.

High Cholesterol Treatment

• The National Cholesterol Education Program explains that too much LDL cholesterol can result in fatty substances building up on the walls of arteries, thus causing heart disease. Treatment for high cholesterol focuses on lowering LDL cholesterol levels. There are two different ways to lower your cholesterol including therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) and drug treatment. Therapeutic lifestyle changes involve increasing physical activity, weight management, and reducing cholesterol intake from food. According to the American Heart Association, the most common drugs that are used to treat high cholesterol are atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin.

Atherosclerosis Treatment

• Atherosclerosis is a condition where the walls of arteries become thick and stiff because of too much pressure according to the Mayo Clinic. Atherosclerosis can be caused by high blood pressure, high cholesterol, nicotine, and certain diseases. The most common cause of atherosclerosis is high LDL cholesterol levels, and the official definition of atherosclerosis is the hardening of arteries. Atherosclerosis can be treated by exercising more and consuming a diet that's low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Cholesterol lowering medications and blood pressure lowering medications can also be used to help treat atherosclerosis. According to the American Heart Association, diets that are high in saturated fat significantly increase the risk for heart disease.

Exercise

• Exercising on a daily basis is one of the best treatments for heart disease according to the American Heart Association. Exercising on a regular basis can help to control blood pressure levels, weight, blood lipid abnormalities, and diabetes. Examples of exercises that the American Heart Association suggests are jumping rope, brisk walking, dancing, and cross-country skiing.

Diet Alterations

• According to the American Heart Association, people that are overweight have an increased risk for heart disease. Cutting back on calories and reducing the amount of saturated fat that you consume will help you lose weight and reduce your risk for heart disease. Reducing your sodium and cholesterol intake can also help to cure heart disease.