FORMS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASEANEURYSM ANGINA PECTORIS
ARRHYTHMIA ATHEROSCLEROSIS
BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK CARDIOMYOPATHY
cerebral vascular disease CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE
(STROKE) CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE(CAD)
ENDOCARDITIS HEART ATTACK
HEART FAILURE HYPERLIPIDEMIA
HYPERTENSION INTERMITTENT CLAUDICATION
ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE(IHD) LONG QT SYNDROME
MYOCARDITIS (LQTS)
PERICARDITIS PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE
primary PULMONARY (PVD)
HYPERTENSION RAYNAUD’S SYNDROME
RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE SICK SINUS SYNDROME
VALVULAR HEART DISEASE WOLFF-PARKINSON-WHITE
SYNDROME
- WEIGHT LOSS AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENTprograms
- nutrition and dietary education that empha-
sizes eating habits high in fruits, vegetables, and
whole grain products with fewer highly
processed and fried foods - encouraging daily physical exercise through
education and activities organized through
schools, workplaces, and community organiza-
tions - cholesterol screening with lifestyle modifica-
tions and lipid-lowering medications, as appro-
priate, to maintain healthy levels, and
aggressive therapeutic interventions for people
who have high blood cholesterol - BLOOD PRESSUREchecks to detect and treat HYPER-
TENSION - DIABETESscreening programs, as CVD is a lead-
ing complication of diabetes and many of the
same lifestyle factors contribute to both health
problems
Medical interventions can further reduce the
effects of lifestyle factors to lower the risk for car-
diovascular disease. These interventions may
include lipid-lowering medications to reduce CHO-
LESTEROL BLOOD LEVELS, antihypertensive medica-
tions to lower blood pressure, anti-arrhythmia
medications to regulate the beating of the heart,
and CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFT (CABG)to
replace arteries supplying the heart with blood
that are clogged with vascular debris (arterial
plaque).
Prevention guidelines established in 2004 take
the preventive role of medications a step further,
recommending that most people who have heart
attacks take a “statin” medication afterward to
prevent subsequent heart attacks. Statins belong
to the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor family of
drugs that came into widespread use in the 1990s
as lipid-lowering medications. Extensive longitudi-
nal studies (studies over time involving varied
populations) conducted in several countries,
including the United States, demonstrated the fur-
ther ability of statins to significantly reduce the
risk for heart attack in people who have already
experienced one or more heart attacks, even
when blood cholesterol levels are within heart-
healthy ranges.
Because many people do not know they have
cardiovascular disease until they have heart
attacks or strokes, statin therapy becomes a signifi-
cant preventive measure for future heart condi-
tions. However, statins deplete COENZYME Q 10 , an
important antioxidant that has powerful anti-
inflammatory actions. Taking a coenzyme Q10
supplement while on statin therapy helps restore
this vital substance. Many people also benefit from
ASPIRIN THERAPY, which provides a mild anticoagu-
lant effect to reduce the risk for blood clots.LEARN THE WARNING SIGNS OF
HEART ATTACK AND HOW TO RESPOND
Health experts recommend that all adults learn
the warning signs of HEART ATTACKand become
trained in CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION(CPR).
Schools, fire departments, community organiza-
tions, and health agencies typically offer CPR
classes for minimal or no fee.Though some studies suggest consumption of
red wine lowers the risk for heart disease, most
doctors recommend minimizing ALCOHOLconsump-
tion overall because of other health risks (such as
LIVERdisease). Foods that are high in the B vita-
mins, vitamin C, and vitamin E contain natural
antioxidants that help counter the destructive con-
sequences of accumulated metabolic waste (oxi-
dants). Many doctors recommend the nutritional16 Preventive Medicine