If you or someone around you is experiencing signs of a heart attack, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or discomfort in the arms, neck, jaw or back, call 911 immediately. Do not wait or try to drive yourself to the hospital. Every second counts, and emergency responders can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the hospital.
Treatment for coronary artery disease will depend on the type you have and how severe your condition is. Acute coronary syndrome requires immediate treatment to restore blood flow. Stable coronary ischemic heart disease can often be treated using medicines and other therapies.
Lifestyle changes are often recommended to help patients manage symptoms, reduce complications and improve heart health. Talk with your provider about how these heart-healthy changes can help.
- Eat a healthy diet. Enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts, beans, fish and whole grains. Limit sodium, added sugars and unhealthy fats.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. Avoid vaping and secondhand smoke as well.
- Keep updated on vaccines. Ask your provider about flu, COVID-19 and other vaccines that can help you avoid illness.
- Limit alcohol. Men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women should aim for no more than one drink each day.
- Manage other health problems. Take medicine for high blood pressure and diabetes and follow your provider’s guidance.
- Sleep well every night. Aim for seven to nine hours of good sleep per night.
- Stay physically active. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Talk to your provider about what exercises are good for you. Be sure to watch for signs that your heart is working too hard. If you become short of breath or dizzy while exercising, stop and rest.
- Watch your weight. Take steps to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: ACE inhibitors help lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart damage. They can be taken indefinitely to treat existing problems and can also be used to prevent cardiac problems from developing.
- Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs): ARBs help lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart damage. They can be taken indefinitely to treat existing problems and can also be used to prevent cardiac problems from developing.
- Antibiotics: When bacterial infection affects the heart, antibiotics help kill bacteria and create an environment in which it is difficult for bacteria to live. Antibiotics are typically prescribed in acute situations and will be taken for a limited amount of time.
- Beta blockers: These medicines are used to block the effects of adrenaline on the heart by slowing the heart rate and lessening the force of heart contractions. Beta blockers are used to treat many cardiovascular conditions, and they can be taken long-term. In adults ages 65 and older, they’re often prescribed indefinitely.
- Calcium channel blockers: These medicines block calcium channels to the heart cells, which slows the heart rate to help manage arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat. Calcium channel blockers can be taken indefinitely.
- Nitrates: These medicines are prescribed to help your heart get more oxygen-rich blood to reduce or stop chest pain. Nitrates are taken as needed when you experience chest pain or tightness. You can also take them proactively before participating in an activity that may cause chest pain.
- Diuretics: These medicines, which can be used alone or with other medicines, help treat high blood pressure or fluid buildup in the tissues. Diuretics force the kidneys to produce excess urine. When you urinate, this removes extra salt and fluid. Diuretics are safe for long-term use.
- Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors: These medicines help manage heart failure by lowering blood pressure and body weight and improving blood sugar levels. SGLT-2 inhibitors can help prevent heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes. They are safe to be taken long-term.
During angioplasty, your provider places a tiny balloon inside an artery clogged with fat, cholesterol and other substances. When inflated, the balloon opens the artery, restoring blood flow.
Stents are often inserted following angioplasty. During a stent placement, your provider places a wire mesh tube called a stent in a clogged artery. This serves as a scaffolding device, holding the artery open and increasing blood flow.
A coronary artery bypass grafting procedure, also known as a heart bypass, is an open-heart surgical procedure used to bypass arteries blocked by plaque.
During a CABG procedure, a patient is placed under general anesthesia and a heart/lung bypass machine takes over the function of these organs.
A cardiothoracic surgeon begins the procedure by surgically opening the chest and breaking the sternum to access the heart. From there, a blood vessel from another part of the body, often the leg, is placed into the heart and used to bypass, or replace, an artery blocked by plaque buildup. A single bypass procedure may be used to bypass multiple blocked arteries at one time.
Once the procedure is complete, the sternum is closed back up and wired together for stability. Then, the chest is stitched closed.
After a heart bypass, a patient will be closely monitored in a cardiovascular intensive care setting for a day or two. The patient will then be moved to a regular room for additional monitoring and recovery. Most patients can return home within a few days to a week.
Recovery at home after a CABG procedure can take several months to a year, and careful precautions are needed as the sternum heals.
