CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE MANAGEMENT WITH MEDICINES AND LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION

Coronary Artery Disease(CAD) can be treated with Life Style Modification and Medical Management.
Patients with CAD (Triple Vessel Disease and Double Vessel Disease) can live a normal life without  undergoing  Surgical treatment.While in some cases  surgical treatments are unavoidable,some can be managed by Strict Life Style Modification and Medical Management.Let us discuss  Life Style modification and Medical management in detail.
(To know more about Coronary Artery Disease please read article- Coronory Heart Disease)

Lifestyle Changes

Making lifestyle changes often can help prevent or treat CAD. For some people, these changes may be the only treatment needed.

Follow a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Following a healthy diet can prevent or reduce high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Be Physically Active

Routine physical activity can lower many CAD risk factors, including LDL ("bad") cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess weight.

Physical activity also can lower your risk for diabetes and raise your HDL cholesterol level. HDL is the "good" cholesterol that helps prevent CAD.
Talk with your doctor before you start a new exercise plan. Ask him or her how much and what kinds of physical activity are safe for you.
People gain health benefits from as little as 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. The more active you are, the more you will benefit.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight can lower your risk for CAD. A general goal to aim for is a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25.

A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. A BMI of less than 25 is the goal for preventing and treating CAD. Your doctor can help you set an appropriate BMI goal.

Quit Smoking

If you smoke, quit. Smoking can raise your risk for CAD and heart attack and worsen other CAD risk factors. Talk with your doctor if you need  help to quit smoking. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke.

Manage 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.

Physical activity, medicine, and relaxation therapy(meditation,breathing yoga exercises) also can help relieve stress.

Medical Management

You may need medicines to treat CAD if lifestyle changes aren't enough. Medicines can:

• Reduce your heart’s workload and relieve CAD symptoms
• Decrease your chance of having a heart attack or dying suddenly
• Lower your cholesterol and blood pressure
• Prevent blood clots
• Prevent or delay the need for a procedure or surgery (for example, angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG))

Medicines used to treat CAD include anticoagulants, also called blood thinners; Aspirin and other anticlotting medicines like Clopidogrel(Deplatt/Clopilet); 

beta blockers(Atenelol-Aten); 

calcium channel blockers(Amlodipine); nitroglycerin(Sorbitrate);

ARB inhibitors(Losartan);

Statins; (Atorvastatin); and fish oil and other supplements high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Please Note-

• Sorbitrate 10 mg has to be taken twice or sometimes thrice according to your detailed history and symptoms.
• Atorvastatin starting doses should be atleast 10mg to 20mg according to individual history.
• Antiplatelet drug should be introduced,like Deplatt A 75.
• Hypertension should be controlled with medicines like Losar H and Aten 25mg
• Most important-Sorbitrate 5mg should be placed under the tongue in any kind of Emergency chest discomfort/pain.