Many people continue their daily activities without realizing the dangers hiding in their cardiovascular system. Approximately 30% of heart attack deaths are in this group. Early detection and treatment is critical. A supervised prevention program, including lifestyle changes, frequent testing, and medications can reduce your risks of having a heart attack.
Conventional medicine uses diagnostic tests, prescription medications, and surgery to prevent heart disease and its complications.
Fortunately, there are tests that allow doctors to diagnose and start treatment early. Blood tests to check your cholesterol and homocysteine levels as well as regular blood pressure checks are a good place to start. Elevated blood pressure can increase your risks for heart disease and can go undiagnosed for quite a while. That’s why it’s a good idea to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
One method used to detect blockages is an exercise treadmill. This test causes stress to the heart and if blood flow is limited, chest pain or tightening will occur. This test will detect blockages of 50% or more. Treadmill testing is not recommended for everyone, it only detects heart disease in an advanced stage.
Thallium tests and CT scans have also been used to detect early heart disease, however they are expensive and don’t show minor blockages.
The medical community agrees that most mild to moderate cases of high cholesterol and blood pressure can be treated first with dietary changes. However, some may need to be put on prescription medications called statins to help lowering the numbers.
Statins work by inhibiting the enzyme needed to manufacture cholesterol in the liver. However, these drugs also block the manufacture of important nutrients, like CoQ10, which has been shown to benefit heart health. Other side effects include liver problems, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, and skin rash.
Despite their side effects, the statins are very effective in lowering the risk of future heart disease by 30% in appropriate patients. Diabetics and known heart disease patients should be on these medications for the rest of their life.
Common blood pressure medications include
- ACE inhibitors, which relax the arterial wall and reduce fluid volume.
- Beta-Blockers, slows the heart rate and reduces the force of contraction.
- Calcium channel blockers, decrease the rate and force of contractions, relax the arteries, and slow nerve impulses in the heart.
- Diuretics, most proven medication, however, they deplete potassium and magnesium and increase blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels.
In some case, doctors may also add an anti-coagulant or anti-platelet medication. These help reduce blood clotting in the arteries, veins, and heart.
Surgery in another treatment for heart disease. Heart operations and surgeries have increase by a whopping 397%. Heart catherization is done to get more information about heart function. A small tube is inserted in an artery in the arm or more commonly the leg and is moved into the heart. This procedure also allows them to open blocked arteries (angioplasty) or repair certain types of heart disease.Coronary bypass is a procedure that “goes around” clogged arteries. Surgeons can also repair or replace faulty valves.
Heart surgery has saved many lives, but also very expensive, complicated, and not without risks.
The key to successful heart disease treatment is to prevent plague buildup from the start. The best prevention is with your diet.
