Treatment+for+an+Unhealthy+Heart

We know that these problems are some of the most common in unhealthy hearts:
 * High Blood Pressure
 * Arteriosclerosis
 * Coronary Artery Disease

How can these problems be fixed? The answer simply... Lifestyle changes.


 * 1) The first, and simplest change, is to begin a statin regimen. The constant influx of HDL will prove very useful in lowering levels of LDL.. The first results can be seen after one week of use and the effect is maximal after four to six weeks.
 * 2) The second change, that of diet, can drastically affect one's cholesterol levels. A switch from fatty foods that are commonly high in saturated fat (ie - fast food/junk food/etc.) to healthier alternatives (ie - granola/fruits/nuts) would severely lower LDL intake. Fatty fish, like tuna and salmon, Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds, Oatmeal and oat bran, and Foods fortified with stanols, like some margarines and orange juices are all a great foundation to a heart healthy diet.
 * 3) The third change, exercise, is perhaps the most beneficial. It builds muscle, burns fat, and increases metabolism, which helps to break down LDL. and process food. Also, the lower your weight, the easier it is to do these aerobic exercises, this lowering cholesterol levels. However, it is also the most difficult to get into a habit of doing. Another great benefit of cardiovascular exercise is a drastic change in cardiovascular endurance. This is the most apparent change in an unhealthy heart to a healthy heart.

If the problems in a heart are too severe to be fixed by simple lifestyle changes, there are more drastic measures of treatment.


 * 1) Bypass surgery - This invasive surgery creates a new route for blood to flow, going around, or "bypassing" a blocked section of a blood vessel.
 * 2) Angioplasty - This pseudo-surgery uses a balloon to inflate and widen a narrowed or blocked blood vessel, thus increasing blood flow.
 * 3) Pacemaker - This small electronic device that uses electronic impulses to regulate a heart's beat and keeps it at normal levels.
 * 4) Heart Valve Surgery - This invasive surgery attempts to repair the valves of the heart, removing things like heart murmurs.
 * 5) Heart Transplant - This highly invasive and expensive surgery is (believe it or not) the most common form of transplant in the US. It consists of removing the heart of a brain dead, but otherwise healthy, patient and putting it into the body of one who needs it. Most of the time, the patients heart will be removed, but in special instances, the original heart will be left in to support the donor heart. Most commonly, the patients receiving the heart is a victim of heart failure or severe coronary artery disease.