Which kind of treatment for heart disease you will receive, depends on the severity of your illness. However, that is up to cardiologist which may choose between medications, surgery or pacemaker, depending on your condition.
Standard treatment of heart disease can be lifesaving since it works much faster, when compared to alternative treatments such as healthy diets, foods, herbs, spices, supplements or exercises.
Damage to the heart muscle or certain arteries, can be so extreme that a person doesn't have another option besides surgery or some very strong medications, in order to survive.
TREATMENT FOR HEART DISEASE - MEDICATIONS
There are many pharmaceutical drugs that are used in heart disease treatment or for relieving symptoms of heart related problems.
Digitalis is one of the most used drugs for heart related problems. It is beneficial when ejection fraction of the heart muscle is weak. It makes the heart contract harder. It is also used to slow down fast heart rhythm.
Beta blockers block the action of stress hormones on certain receptors of the nervous system, responsible for managing flight or fight response. You don't feel nervous or frightened. You feel relaxed. This makes beta blockers very effective, when it comes to treatment of heart disease, especially regarding high blood pressure, chest pain and fast heartbeat.
ACE inhibitors, as the name says, inhibit ACE enzyme which plays a role in regulation of blood pressure and water balance in the body. Lack of this enzyme prevents blood vessels from narrowing. This makes ACE inhibitors very useful in treatment for heart disease, especially for high blood pressure and heart failure, when the heart muscle is damaged.
Aspirin, including herbal aspirins contain compounds from which is produced salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a natural substance which can be obtained in laboratory through certain chemical processes or by consuming plants containing salicylic acid such as meadowsweet or white willow. Salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory and blood thinning qualities.
Natural diuretics and water pills make your body excrete excess water and sodium by increasing urination. This makes them useful in treating high blood pressure. However, they can also cause side effects, especially when taken for extended period of time.
Calcium channel blockers reduces the amount of calcium that goes into particular cells which relaxes smooth muscles and blood vessels. They are used for treating high blood pressure and chest pain such as angina. However, since they can cause side effect, other medications are prefered instead of them, when it comes to
treatment for heart disease.
Cholesterol lowering medications are proscribed to people with high cholesterol. They have shown to be very effective drugs for heart disease treatment, especially for reducing the risk of blood clots and heart attack. On the other hand, there are several possible side effects linked to cholesterol lowering drugs, especially the risk of muscle, liver and kidney damage.
Thrombolytic agents or clot busters are very powerful drugs which are used in hospitals, during heart attack or stroke to prevent ongoing damage to the heart, brain and other bodily organs. They are given intravenously to break up blood clots which makes them very effective and literally lifesaving.
TREATMENT FOR HEART DISEASE - SECOND OPTION
Coronary angioplasty is a procedure used to open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries which improves blood flow to the heart. It relieves chest pain and shortness of breath, caused by coronary artery disease. It also reduces the risk of heart attack, heart damage and death.
Heart bypass surgery is preformed when some of your coronary arteries are blocked and coronary angioplasty is insufficient in those cases. Bypass surgery creates a new route thereby increasing blood flow to the affected area of the heart muscle. This kind of treatment for heart disease, also relieves chest pain and shortness of breath, caused by blocked coronary arteries.
Pacemaker is a device which regulates heart rate. It is used in treatment of arrhythmias and heart failure. Although the first pacemakers were about 4 cm long, new models are getting smaller and smaller, with many new functions added to them.
MY OPINION ON STANDARD TREATMENT FOR HEART DISEASE
There are many more kinds of treatment of heart disease available but these are the main ones. Although I am not a fan of standard medical treatments, they can be very helpful and in some cases, even lifesaving.
However, in most cases they only treat the symptoms, instead of the cause, the source of the disease. Also, every drug comes with their own list of potential side effects. Usually, the stronger the drug, the bigger the side effects.
BECOMING DEPENDENT ON MEDICATIONS
Let's say you have high blood pressure.
The doctor will probably prescribe you medications such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors or water pills. While this kind of treatment for heart disease, will do the job and lower blood pressure, as soon as you stop taking them, your blood pressure will raise again. In some cases, even more than before.
In other words, you become dependent on them which is what multi-billion pharmaceutical companies want.
I would also like to point out that some advanced medical treatment options such as gene therapy and nano technology may actually help cure heart disease, completely. However, we will just have to wait and see what the future brings.
Check these guys, if you want to stay in touch with newest medical research in the field of cardiology or if you want to check what heart disease organizations have to offer.
CONCLUSION
By dealing with the causes of heart disease, eating healthy, taking care of yourself and exercising regulary, high blood pressure and arrhythmia, will be gone for good.
I believe this is much better approach, then taking medications for heart disease, till the end of your life.
The point is, although standard heart disease treatment is very effective and sometimes only lifesaving option left, in the long run and in most cases, the way you live your life is what means the most.
MORE USEFUL INFORMATIONS
As someone who prefers natural approach, when it comes to treatment for heart disease, acupuncture and chinese medicine may also be helpful in overcoming heart disease.
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