Living With Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) can cause serious
complications. However, if you follow your doctor's advice and change your
habits, you can prevent or reduce the chances of:
- Dying suddenly from heart problems
- Having a
heart
attack and permanently damaging your heart muscle
- Damaging your heart because of reduced oxygen
supply
- Having
arrhythmias
(irregular heartbeats)
Ongoing Health Care Needs
Doing physical activity regularly, taking prescribed
medicines, following a heart healthy eating plan, and watching your weight can
help control CAD. (See "How Is Coronary Artery
Disease Treated?" for more information).
See your doctor regularly to keep track of your
blood pressure and blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. A cholesterol
blood test will show your levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, HDL ("good")
cholesterol, and triglycerides. A fasting blood glucose test will check your
blood sugar level and show if you're at risk for or have
diabetes. These tests will show whether you need more
treatments for your CAD.
Talk to your doctor about how often you should
schedule office visits or blood tests. Between those visits, call your doctor
if you develop any new symptoms or if your symptoms worsen.
CAD raises your risk for heart attack. Learn
the symptoms of
heart
attack and
arrhythmia.
Call 911 if you have any of these symptoms for more than 5
minutes:
- Chest discomfort or painuncomfortable
pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of the chest that can be
mild or strong. This discomfort or pain lasts more than a few minutes or goes
away and comes back.
- Upper body discomfort in one or both arms, the
back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
- Shortness of breath, which may occur with or
before chest discomfort.
It's important to know the difference between
angina
and a heart attack. During a heart attack, the pain is usually more severe than
angina, and it doesn't go away when you rest or take medicine. If you don't
know whether your chest pain is angina or a heart attack, call
911.
Let the people you see regularly know you're at risk
for a heart attack. They can seek emergency care if you suddenly faint,
collapse, or develop other severe symptoms.
You may feel depressed or anxious if you've been
diagnosed with CAD and/or had a heart attack. You may worry about heart
problems or making lifestyle changes that are necessary for your health. Your
doctor may recommend medicine, professional counseling, or relaxation therapy
if you have depression or anxiety.
Physical activity can improve mental well-being, but
you should talk to your doctor before starting any fitness activities. It's
important to treat any anxiety or depression that develops because it raises
your risk of having a heart attack.
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