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Risk Factors and Treatment

What are the risk factors for coronary heart disease also called coronary artery disease (CAD)?

• Elevated Cholesterol - high LDL levels “bad” cholesterol
• Elevated triglycerides - fats in the blood
• Low HDL levels - “good cholesterol” carrying bad cholesterol to the liver for excretion
• Smoking or Tobacco Use
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Sedentary Life Style

What are the different types of cholesterol?
• HDL
• LDL
• Triglycerides
Go to The American Heart Association’s “What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean” to learn more about these and factors that lower or raise these levels, and then watch “What is Cholesterol?” to get a better understanding of the different types.

Check your understanding...

What is the equation for calculating your total cholesterol score?

Answer: HDL + LDL + 20 percent of your triglyceride level

A diet high in saturated and trans fats raises or lowers LDL cholesterol?

Answer: raises

HDL cholesterol is considered to be the “good” cholesterol while LDL is the “bad” cholesterol because _________.

Answer: HDL carries cholesterol out of the blood and LDL deposits cholesterol into the walls of the arteries.

Treatment

    What are the treatment options for CAD?
    Life Style Changes
  • Quit Smoking
  • Exercise Regularly
  • Lose Excess Weight
  • Reduce Stress
  • Eat Healthy Foods

Medications

  • To decrease cholesterol levels
  • To thin blood – such as aspirin
  • To slow the heart rate and decrease blood pressure – Beta Blockers
  • To dilate coronary arteries and control chest pain – nitroglycerin
  • To prevent progression of CAD – ACE Inhibitors
  • Procedure to Improve Blood Flow – view the animation/videos below

    Surgery and Procedures
    Percutaneous Intervention (PCI) to include Angioplasty and Stent
    Watch this American Heart Association Stent video showing an animation of a cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, and stent placement procedure.

    Watch this WebMD video on angioplasty and stent placement.


    Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG)
    Watch this animation of Coronary Bypass Graft procedure.


    Go to this webpage showing information about CABG.

     

    Check your understanding...

    Treatment for coronary artery disease usually involves lifestyle changes, and, if necessary, drugs and certain _____________.

    Answer: medical procedures

    A non-surgical procedure that involves inserting a catheter into the femoral artery, threading it to the coronary arteries, and opening the narrowed artery using a balloon is called ______________.

    Answer: angioplasty

    CABG stands for ________________.

    Answer: Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

    Many people remain symptom-free for as long as ______________years after a CABG surgery.

    Answer: 10-15

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