Coronary Artery Disease is managed with lifestyle changes and medications
Coronary artery disease is treated in a number of ways, depending on the seriousness of the disease. For many people, coronary Artery Disease is managed with lifestyle changes and medications.
Others with severe coronary artery disease may need surgery. In any case, once coronary artery disease develops, it requires lifelong management. Medical treatment generally includes medications, risk factor reduction, along with close follow-up with your health care team.
Angioplasty or coronary interventions to open the clogged artery may also be used depending on the location and severity of the coronary artery disease. Coronary interventions may include balloon angioplasty, stenting, and atherectomy (plaque removal).
The main surgical treatment for coronary artery disease is coronary artery bypass grafting or CABG. This creates a ‘bypass route” for blood to flow around the clogged vessels to your heart.
Recent advancements in CABG surgical treatments include minimally invasive approaches to this operation; however, this approach is not for everyone and would require an evaluation from a cardiothoracic or “heart” surgeon.
Lifestyle Changes to Treat Coronary Artery Disease
Although great advances have been made in treating coronary artery disease, changing one’s habits remains the single most effective way to stop the disease from progressing.
Diet: If you know that you have coronary artery disease, changing your diet to one low in fat, especially saturated fat, and cholesterol will help reduce high blood cholesterol, a primary cause of atherosclerosis. In fact, it is even more important to keep your cholesterol low after a heart attack to help lower your risk of having another one.
Eating habits: Adopting healthier eating habits and eating less fat should also help you lose weight. If you are overweight, losing weight can help lower blood cholesterol and is the most effective lifestyle way to reduce high blood pressure, another risk factor for atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Exercise: People with coronary artery disease can also benefit from exercise. Recent research has shown that even moderate amounts of physical activity are associated with lower death rates from coronary artery disease.
However, people with severe coronary artery disease may have to restrict their exercise somewhat. If you have coronary artery disease, check with your health professional to find out what kinds of exercise are best for you.
Cigarette smoking: Smoking is one of the three major risk factors for coronary artery disease. Quitting smoking dramatically lowers the risk of a heart attack and also reduces the risk of a second heart attack in people who have already had one.
Stress reduction: The regular practice of Vedic Meditation can be more powerful than any other type of meditation or relaxation technique for removing stress.
This release of stress during Vedic Meditation causes our muscles to relax, including the muscular walls of our blood vessels. This allows more blood through the vessels with less resistance to the overall flow. This of cause means lower blood pressure.
Therefore the combination of Vedic Meditation, for twenty minutes twice a day, with a good diet – especially a low fat, low salt diet – and physical exercise, should see a dramatic improvement in heart disease and overall health.
… the combination of Vedic Meditation, for twenty minutes twice a day, with a good diet – especially a low fat, low salt diet – and physical exercise, should see a dramatic change in your health.
Vedic Meditation is one of the most powerful techniques available for reducing stress and anxiety. It is also one of the easiest to learn and simplest to practice.
If you are in Auckland (NZ) call me, Warwick Jones, on 09 419 5380, or email to to find our how Vedic Meditation could help you achieve better health.