Heart Disease

Learning you have Heart Disease

Receiving a diagnosis of heart disease is overwhelming, and often surprising. It is easy to mistake its signs and symptoms as temporary issues such as fatigue, anxiety, or stress. “Heart disease” is an umbrella condition for a range of cardiac issues that includes coronary artery disease (CAD, where plaque builds up in arteries over time and causes dangerous blockages), arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat patterns), and heart failure (which occurs when the heart muscle is not pumping blood effectively). Risk factors for heart disease include those that unfortunately cannot be changed like a person’s age, gender, and genetics. Then there are behavioral factors that can be modified through lifestyle changes. These include making healthier dietary choices, cutting back on alcohol, increasing physical activity, and quitting smoking. Managing these risks can significantly reduce the chance of developing more serious illness including stroke, heart attack, or cardiac arrest. Millions of Americans struggle with heart disease but regular visits with a primary care doctor or cardiology specialist, along with following a personalized care plan, can help improve and prolong heart health.

Understanding your options

Heart disease remains a common and treatable chronic condition. In addition to recommended lifestyle changes, medications are frequently prescribed to help with symptom control and to prevent complications. Common drug classes here include statins, which lower cholesterol, beta-blockers, which reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure, and anticoagulants that seek to prevent dangerous blood clots. If or when medications can no longer aid the cardiovascular system for effective functioning, an intervention may be necessary. Procedures like stent placement or bypass surgery may be recommended to restore blood flow. Cardiologists craft treatment plans based on each individual patient’s medical status, condition severity, and other risk factors. While the emotional weight of a heart disease diagnosis can be heavy for patients and their loved ones, staying engaged with the care team and being consistent with lifestyle choices can make a meaningful difference in long-term outcomes. Adherence with treatment plans and the support of care partners enable many heart disease patients to enjoy relatively full lives with high quality.

Advances in treatment

Treatment of heart disease has long relied on many proven prescription therapies and surgical interventions. These approaches remain foundational as standard of care components for symptom control. In the field of clinical research, several new and promising therapies are being looked at. For example, gene-based treatments designed to repair damaged heart tissue and improve cardiac function. Researchers are also studying anti-inflammatory agents that target specific pathways believed to lead to plaque buildup in arteries. These innovations reflect a growing understanding of the drivers of heart disease, both molecular and genetic, for new treatment options.

You can get involved

If you are concerned about risk of heart disease or interested in learning more about new treatment possibilities for an existing cardiac condition, sign-up with us today to be alerted when new trials become available that are in need of volunteer participants. You can also use our trial search to see what clinical studies matching your health profile may be available at a study site location near your home

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References

Mayo Clinic: Heart Disease: symptoms and causes. Updated August 13, 2024
American Heart Association: What is cardiovascular disease. Updated January 10, 2024
Cleveland Clinic: Heart Disease. Updated November 6, 2023