Seniors Living With Heart Disease: Types and Treatment Options
In 2016, nearly 28.2 million U.S. adults were diagnosed with heart disease, with many of those cases leading to death. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
As a senior, heart disease requires specialized care and lifestyle changes in order to keep your heart functioning properly. It's important to understand more about your specific type of heart disease and what your treatment options are so you can boost your heart health.
Keep reading to learn more about living with heart disease as a senior.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and is caused by the buildup of plaque in your coronary arteries.
These blood vessels are responsible for bringing oxygen-rich blood into your heart. But when plaque builds up in the walls of the arteries, they become narrow, which slows blood flow to your heart and reduces the amount of oxygen it gets. If the plaque breaks off, it can block your artery and cause a heart attack or cardiac arrest.
Treatment Options
When you're diagnosed with CAD, your doctor will likely prescribe you with medications that are meant to relieve your heart from working too hard. Some medications will widen the arteries to help with blood flow, while others will help to prevent blood clots.
There are also two types of therapies that are common, including statin therapy which helps to lower high cholesterol, and aspirin therapy which helps to reduce blood clots.
Heart Attack
Heart attacks, which are primarily caused by CAD, are a result of blocked arteries preventing blood and oxygen flow to your heart. If your loved one suffered a heart attack, it will take around two months for their heart to recover.
Treatment Options
Treatment options following heart attacks are similar to treatments for CAD. But it's also important for seniors to take extra care following a heart attack so they can improve their heart health. Here are some ways seniors can prevent the likelihood of having another heart attack:
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Light to moderate exercise
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Taking medications as prescribed
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Stress reduction
Lifestyle changes can be just as powerful for helping your heart as taking medications, so don't neglect them.
Heart Failure
Heart failure occurs when the heart is weakened significantly and blood and other fluids get backed up and cause swelling all over the body. The excess blood and fluid put immense pressure on other vital organs which prevents them from functioning properly.
Treatment Options
Heart failure is caused by other heart diseases like heart attacks and CAD, so the best way to treat it is by improving your lifestyle and taking your prescribed heart medications.
Learn More About Living with Heart Disease
Living with heart disease as a senior means that you have to take extra care to reduce the likelihood of serious problems.
Here at Elite Home Health Care, we have experienced caregivers that know how to care for seniors living with heart disease. We can help with medication reminders, driving your loved one to appointments, and even meal prep foods that boost heart health.
Reach out to us today to learn more about our services and how we can help care for your loved one in the comfort of their own home.