Some people think that heart disease always requires surgery, but that is not quite true. Surgeons may consider it when your arteries have been severely blocked by fat. If they have been mildly blocked, Plano heart disease specialists know the exact drugs to administer for that.
Before we identify these medicines, you must follow their prescription orders. Also, remember to report any side effects that you may suffer from the drugs to your doctor. With that out of the way, here are the heart medications they may prescribe.
Antiplatelet Medications
These drugs treat and prevent heart attacks by preventing platelets from sticking together to form clots. At first, you may get stomach upsets after swallowing them. In that case, you can prevent that by taking them with food.
A significant risk of taking antiplatelet medications is excessive bleeding. That is because they prevent all clots, including the ones your body may need. As a result, you will need to take safety measures at home so that you do not fall or cut yourself.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
These medications lower blood pressure by relaxing the veins and arteries. They prevent your body from making an enzyme called angiotensin II. This enzyme causes blood vessels to narrow, forcing them to pump blood at high pressure.
It is normal to experience side effects such as dizziness, dry coughs, headaches, and loss of taste. However, you should be concerned if you experience swelling of tissues. If the swelling occurs in the throat, it could be life-threatening. Fortunately, swelling is a rare occurrence.
Beta Blockers
They reduce blood pressure by widening your arteries and veins. Additionally, they block the effects of the hormone adrenaline in the body. The hormone causes your heart to beat faster, which increases blood flow to the brain and muscles.
Doctors usually prescribe beta blockers after all other medications fail. That is because these drugs can have adverse effects on some users. Sometimes, these drugs may trigger severe asthma attacks in asthmatic people.
Diuretics
Heart failure causes you to develop swellings, especially around your ankles. That is because they fill up with fluid. Diuretics reduce them by causing you to pass urine to drain the excess fluids.
When you have high blood pressure, doctors prefer to administer thiazide diuretics. Sometimes, they may not be effective in lowering blood pressure. In that case, your doctor will combine them with other blood pressure medications in your treatment plan.
Statins
These drugs lower cholesterol by slowing down the liver’s production of it. They also increase the liver’s ability to remove cholesterol from the blood. Besides eliminating cholesterol, they stabilize plaques on blood vessel walls to reduce blood clots.
Once you begin taking statins, you should do that on a long-term basis. Some people stop taking them after they reduce cholesterol. That does not mean that cholesterol buildup wouldn’t reoccur.
There are a few things you should know about these medicines. Some people need to consume less salt, yet some medications contain sodium. Such medicines will increase high blood pressure. If you receive any prescription, check the information sheet and consult your doctor where necessary.
Lastly, there are heart medicines that may affect pregnant and breastfeeding women. Your doctor will thus consider the risks of certain medications to you and your baby before prescribing them. Also, you cannot take any medications within the first three months, so your doctor will consider other alternatives.