Browse Conditions: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Preventing Heart Attack

Preventing or treating coronary artery disease may help prevent a heart attack.

Maintain a healthy weight .
Begin a safe exercise program . Follow your doctor's advice.
If you smoke, quit .
Eat a healthful diet . Your diet should be low in saturated fat and rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Treat high blood pressure and diabetes .
Manage stress .
Ask your doctor about taking a small, daily dose of aspirin . It may help to prevent a heart attack.
- If you take aspirin with other pain medication, you may be at higher risk for bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Also, aspirin may not work as well when combined with other pain medications.
Ask your doctor about ways to lower your cholesterol.
Ask your doctor about heart medications.

RESOURCES:

American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/

Heart and Stroke Foundation
http://www.heartandstroke.com/

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Heart Healthy Kit: Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/

Heart and Stroke Foundation
http://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/

References:

Heart attack. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-attack/DS00094/DSECTION=8 .Updated 2007. Accessed June 29, 2008.

Meier MA, Al-Badr WH, Cooper JV, et al. The new definition of myocardial infarction: diagnostic and prognostic implications in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Arch Intern Med . 2002;162:1585-1589.

Mollet NR, Cademartiri F, van Mieghem CA, et al. High-resolution spiral computed tomography coronary angiography in patients referred for diagnostic conventional coronary angiography. Circulation . 2005;112:2318-2323. Epub 2005 Oct 3.

Rakel RE, Bope ET. Conn's Current Therapy 2001 . 53rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company; 2001.

What is a heart attack? American Heart Association website. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3007482 . Accessed June 29, 2008.

Women Physicians Congress. What you need to know about heart disease. American Medical Association website. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/11021.html . Updated 2008. Accessed June 29, 2008.

Updated Outcome section on 11/7/2007 according to the following study, as cited by DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance : Bravata DM, Gienger AL, McDonald KM, et al. Systematic Review: The comparative effectiveness of percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Ann Intern Med. 2007 Nov 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Last reviewed December 2007 by J. Peter Oettgen, MD

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Talk about it in the:
Heart Attack Support Group

Log In

User ID
Password
	Remember Me

	Forget your Password?