Heart Disease Treatment

Submitted by PatientsEngage on 9 July 2015

Medication

  • Anticoagulants [Dalteparin (Fragmin), Danaparoid (Orgaran)] help to prevent harmful clots from forming in the blood vessels. 
  • Antiplatelet agents (Aspirin) help prevent clotting in patients who have had a heart attack.
  • Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors [Benazepril (Lotensin)] are used to treat or improve symptoms of cardiovascular conditions including high blood pressure and heart failure.
  • Beta blockers [Acebutolol (Sectral)] decrease the heart rate and cardiac output, which lowers blood pressure and makes the heart beat more slowly and with less force.
  • Calcium channel blockers [Amlodipine (Norvasc, Lotrel)] interrupt the movement of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels. This may decrease the heart's pumping strength and relax blood vessels.
  • Diuretics [Amiloride (Midamor)] help to relieve the heart's workload. Also decreases the build-up of fluid in the lungs and other parts of the body, such as the ankles and legs.
  • Vasodilators [Isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil)] relax blood vessels and increase the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart while reducing its workload. 
  • Digitalis preparations also known as Digoxin and Digitoxin (Lanoxin) increase the force of the heart's contractions, which can be beneficial in heart failure and for irregular heart beats.
  • Statins are used to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, raise HDL ("good") cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels.

Procedures, surgery, programme

  • Angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure that can be used to open blocked heart arteries.
  • Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting creates a new path for blood to flow to the heart.
  • Heart Transplant is considered for patients who suffer severe, progressive heart failure which can’t be helped by medications and other procedures. Surgeons replace the damaged heart with a healthy heart taken from a donor.
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation is a professionally supervised programme to help people recover after heart attacks or heart surgery. It usually provides education and counselling services to help heart patients increase physical fitness, reduce cardiac symptoms, improve health and reduce the risk of future heart problems, including heart attack.
Community
Heart and Cardio-vascular
Condition
Cardiovascular Diseases

Stories

  • First-Aid for Cardiac Arrest
    Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Quick and fast intervention helps. Dr. Shital Raval recommends first aid tips for cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating suddenly commonly due to some electrical malfunction. The victim becomes unresponsive, unconscious with no signs of breathing or movement. Death can occur within minutes as blood stops flowing to the lungs, brain and other…
  • Image of Papads or Popaddams to show an unhealthy snack
    4 Popular Unhealthy Snacks You Really Should Limit
    Meenu Agarwal, a clinical dietitian and nutritionist based in Singapore, advises on controlling consumption of junk food to stay fit and free from ailments like diabetes, cholesterol, acidity, hypertension and other complications and offers healthier options. Junk food is defined as “any food, which is low in essential nutrients and high in everything else - calories and sodium". Junk foods contain little or no proteins, vitamins or minerals but are rich in salt, sugar, fats and are high in…
  • A woman outdoors in tights and running shoes holding her calf
    Leg Cramps - Causes and Prevention Tips
    Do you sometimes get sudden cramps in your calf or toe muscles? Dr. Shital Raval explains the causes and tips to get rid of leg cramps and to prevent them  Leg cramps or Charley horse (term used mainly in Canada and the US) is a common but harmless condition experienced by most individuals. These are sudden painful contractions of the leg muscles often in the calf area. They can last for seconds to a few minutes and rarely last more than 10 minutes. हिंदी में पढ़ें: पैर में ऐंठन -…
  • Do You Need the Serum Chloride Test?
    This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Chloride levels in the electrolyte panel. Read the first part on Sodium Levels and second part on Potassium Levels An electrolyte panel is a blood test that measures the common minerals in the body such as sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Electrolytes are essential for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and brain as they are needed to…
  • Smoking Causes Early Death Among 50% of its Users
    Dr Prakash C. Gupta, Director of Healis-Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health, has researched public health in India extensively over decades and shares with us his valuable opinions on tobacco use and cessation. Scroll down to sign the pledge The Age when it all begins Even when it may be difficult to ascertain the age in which people start smoking, the mean age of initiating tobacco use in any form in India is determined at 17.8 years: 18 for males, 17.1 for females. For smoking, it is 17.9 (…
  • Physical Activity and Exercise Can Help Keep Mental Illness in Control
    Exercise and yoga can improve quality of life for people with mental illness and reduce risks of strokes, diabetes, auditory hallucinations and other health problems, informs Dr R Padmavati, Additional Director, Schizophrenia Research Foundation. World Health Organisation defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity is not just "exercise". Exercise, is a subcategory of physical activity that is planned,…
  • Together, We are Able to Overcome Rejections and Obstacles
    Preethi Srinivasan was a young and energetic achiever in every sense of the word, till an accident made her a quadriplegic overnight. On Mother’s Day, Preethi’s mother Vijayalakshmi Srinivasan talks about what it means to be a mother and a friend to her daughter and to ensure her daughter always feels loved and cared for. From being a mother of a super achiever child to suddenly having to cope with the child's disability, what were your first thoughts and feelings? On the day of her accident,…
  • How to Stay Healthy after Menopause
    Post-Menopause is tied to long-term health problems if wholesome food intake and regular physical activity is not practiced. Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju shares tips on what to eat and importance of exercise. Menopause is a natural biological process. It is the time when a woman stops menstruating. The hormones estrogen and progesterone production will be low and the ovaries no longer produce eggs. In women, estrogen is mainly produced in the ovaries. It is also produced in fat cells and…
  • White Meat vs Red Meat: Which is Healthier?
    Is it true that red meat should be avoided, while white meat encouraged? Bonnie Lau, an Australian-trained dietitian, counselling patients on GlycoLeap, answers. Here, we compare the pros and cons of both and helps you decide which type of meat you should eat in the future. Meat is a great source of protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. But there are claims that red meat (mutton, lamb, beef, pork) should generally be avoided, while white meat (chicken, duck, fish) is encouraged. We look at…
  • What do the numbers on your blood report mean?
    You have the Complete Blood Test in front of you and don’t now what the results mean. Dr. Shital Raval explains it in simple terms in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series. A CBC or complete blood test is a basic blood test which is often carried out along with a physical examination to verify and analyse various cellular components in the blood. This allows the doctor to check and confirm any suspicions and find any potential health problems. CBC test result alone may not be sufficient to…

Latest Stories

Booklet