Vascular Disease: How to Prevent Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Attack and Stroke

Vascular disease is a general term for a group of problems that affect your blood vessels, such as those that circulate blood through your heart and brain. People who have vascular disease may have health problems including coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke.

Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart muscle. Coronary artery disease (also called CAD) is caused by a thickening of the inside walls of the coronary arteries. This thickening is called atherosclerosis (say “ath-uh-roe-skluh-roe-suhs”). A fatty substance called plaque can build up inside the thickened walls of the arteries, blocking or slowing the flow of blood. If your heart muscle doesn't get enough blood to work properly, you may have angina or a heart attack. Angina (say "ann-jeye-na") is a squeezing pain or pressing feeling in your chest.

A heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) is when part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies because it isn't getting enough blood from the coronary arteries. Heart attacks usually result from a blockage in the coronary arteries. This blockage is most likely to be caused by a blood clot that forms where an atherosclerotic (say “ath-uh-roe-skluh-rot-ik”) plaque has cracked or ruptured.

A stroke is caused by a blockage in an artery that carries blood to the brain. When blood flow to a part of your brain is cut off, that part of the brain can become damaged. You may lose the ability to perform activities that are controlled by that part of the brain, such as the ability to speak or to move your arm or leg.

It's important to know your risk factors and be informed about your family history. If you have diabetes or if you have a family history of vascular disease, you are more likely to have health problems from vascular disease.

The following lifestyle changes are key to reducing your risk:

Lowering your LDL cholesterol level can reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. If you need to improve your cholesterol levels, eating a healthy diet, exercising and stopping smoking can be very helpful. However, if these lifestyle changes don't help after about 6 months to 1 year, your doctor may suggest that you take medicine to lower your LDL cholesterol level.

Treating high blood pressure can also lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Your doctor may prescribe medicine to lower your blood pressure. Be sure to take it just as your doctor tells you to.

Talk to your doctor about whether taking aspirin in low doses would help reduce your risk of stroke or heart attack. Aspirin can help prevent your blood from forming clots that can eventually block the arteries. If you have high blood pressure, it should be under control before you start taking aspirin.

Remember that even if your doctor prescribes medicines to reduce your risk of health problems, it's still very important for you to stick with the lifestyle changes that help control vascular disease.