Six Ways to Support Heart Health Following a Coronary Intervention

Many conditions affect your heart, including plaque buildup in the arteries. When you have too much plaque, blood flow and oxygen decrease to your heart, causing symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pain.

Although chest pain and shortness of breath are uncomfortable, the absolute risk for plaque-filled arteries is a sudden heart attack. If you notice signs of a problem like chest pain or other symptoms, it's crucial to seek treatment right away.

Living with heart issues is tough, but there are options to help you regain your health. At the Heart Clinic of Hammond, Dr. Ghiath Mikdadi and Dr. Farid Zayed offer various treatments, including coronary intervention services.

Dr. Mikdadi and Dr. Zayed are cardiologists who provide tips to stay healthy before, during, and after coronary intervention procedures.

What is a coronary intervention?

Coronary intervention procedures are non-surgical procedures cardiologists use to open up the arteries around the heart that have a significant amount of plaque. A coronary intervention procedure aims to widen the vessels to allow oxygenated blood to reach your heart.

You may be a candidate for coronary intervention if you have atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries. Symptoms related to atherosclerosis include chest pain or shortness of breath.

We also use these procedures to treat a heart attack that's due to blocked arteries. The quick process doesn't involve open heart surgery or other invasive measures.

During a coronary intervention, we insert a catheter, or small hollow tube, into a vessel in your arm or thigh. Using state-of-the-art imaging, we watch the catheter until it reaches the heart.

We inject dye into the catheter to watch the arteries in real time to find the blocked one. We then inflate a small balloon, which opens the artery back up. You may then require a stent, which allows the artery to stay open permanently.

After this step, our team removes the catheter and places a bandage to cover the insertion site.

How coronary intervention affects the heart

The main advantage of coronary intervention is increased circulation to the heart. Oxygenated blood flow to the heart is essential for good health and oxygenation to other body areas.

The coronary intervention aims to improve the symptoms related to atherosclerosis or plaque buildup. Chest pain and shortness of breath that don't get better with other treatments warrant coronary intervention.

Six tips for heart care after an intervention

After a coronary intervention, keeping your heart healthy is essential in preventing further issues. We offer the following tips to help you achieve a healthy lifestyle for optimal heart health:

1. Do not smoke

Smoking is terrible for you in many ways, including affecting your heart. When you smoke or come in contact with secondhand smoke, it increases the amount of plaque in your arteries, which can undo the good from coronary intervention.

2. Take medications as prescribed

You must take the medications we prescribe to you after coronary intervention surgery. These medications are essential to your overall health as you recover from a coronary intervention.

3. Get active

After recovering from a coronary intervention, including physical activity in your daily routine is crucial. Our team provides tips on heart-healthy exercises to pursue and which ones to avoid to strengthen your heart muscle.

4. Eat a heart-healthy diet

Watching your cholesterol is essential after coronary intervention. Eating a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins keeps your weight down and your heart healthy. Avoid foods that contain saturated fats and added sugar.

5. Do not skip appointments

We want to see you several times after a coronary intervention to monitor your progress and avoid complications. Maintain all your scheduled appointments with our team. Don't hesitate to call if you have questions or experience any symptoms you're worried about.

6. Avoid too much stress

Stress isn't suitable for your body or helpful after a coronary intervention. Try relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation to decrease stress levels and allow your heart to heal fully.

To find out more heart-healthy tips, call the Heart Clinic of Hammond today to schedule a consultation or request an appointment on the website.