Clearing the Heart: 4 Things Your Doctor May Suggest for a Heart Blockage - Dr Dixit Garg

Heart blockages are caused by a build-up of plaque in the arteries, which can result in very serious cardiovascular problems. There are various strategies that doctors use when dealing with heart blockages to clean up these vessels and help them get back to normal blood flow. Here are 4 common ones:

Lifestyle Changes

The first thing that will be asked by a doctor is to start living healthily. This involves changes in diet and exercise. Look for a diet that promotes good health such as an eating plan rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. This may be highly beneficial.

Intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol should be limited because they lead to their accumulation, hence the risk of developing plaque in the arteries. It takes moderate regular physical activity like brisk walking or some swimming for one’s body to maintain its weight within normal limits and keep a healthy heart too.

Alongside this is quitting smoking, as it often becomes the primary risk factor for heart disease sufferers. Stress reduction methods like yoga meditation or simply deep breathing may also assist since it helps heart function better.

Medications

Doctors usually give drugs to patients to alleviate their symptoms and prevent the formation of blockages. Mainly, statins work by lowering the amount of cholesterol in the blood that is to help in preventing the building up of the plague. Antiplatelet agents such as aspirin effectively destroy blood clots so that blockages can't occur.

Symptoms of the heart can be significantly reduced by beta-blockers, and there is less stress on the heart. ACE inhibitors dilate and relax the capillary tubes of the heart so the blood flow is smooth and the pumping of the heart is sound. Either alone or in combination, it is a highly recommended medication for a healthy heart and the prevention of future health complications.

Angioplasty and Stenting

For more serious blockages, angioplasty may be recommended to patients. Angioplasty is a procedure in which a balloon-tipped catheter is inserted into that blocked artery and inflated to open the artery.

Quite often, after an angioplasty, there is an insertion of a small mesh tube into the artery, called a stent, so that it won't close up again. This allows the artery to stay clear and blood flow is restored. Angioplasty and stenting are less invasive, hence they do provide substantial symptomatic relief and help restore blood flow to the heart.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)

If the extent of the blockade is such that angioplasty is not possible, and therefore, more extensive reductions in the flow of the arteries occur, this is when a more invasive procedure of coronary bypass grafting is used. It's a surgical procedure through which the blocked artery is bypassed with the blood vessel taken from any other body part.

It is this artery that renews supply to the heart's muscle even in the presence of blockages. In contrast to angioplasty and stenting, CABG is a more invasive surgery; it is also, however, effective at increasing blood flow and thus reducing the likelihood of heart attack.

An integrated approach involving medication, surgery, and lifestyle changes is used to treat heart blockages. If you follow your doctor's advice and make any required life adjustments, you will be far more adept at maintaining the health of your heart.

Maintaining your heart's health and preventing major problems primarily involves getting regular checkups and according to doctor's instructions.