Prevention of CoronaryArtery Disease

the article in the last issue of Great Health GuideTM, I discussed methods of Gauging Your Heart Attack Risk. In this article, I discuss new methods with tests specifically used to diagnose and thus initiate treatment prior to the first heart attack. This is called primary prevention of coronary artery disease. Secondary prevention, i.e. treating the consequences of coronary artery disease, is also discussed.

1. PRIMARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.

Primary prevention of coronary artery disease involves patients who have either not yet had a problem or who have not complained of any symptoms of coronary artery disease. While these people may be at high risk because of a range of indicators, such as elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes or smoking, they do not display any symptoms nor have they been identified as having a heart problem. Nevertheless, it is important to realise that these patients may carry an increased risk. The treatment for that risk, prior to an event, is called primary prevention. The problem is that best practice in primary prevention of coronary artery disease is more difficult because it is not well defined at present.

2. SECONDARY PREVENTION FOLLOWING A HEART ATTACK.

Traditional approaches to coronary artery disease tend to focus on secondary prevention or on treating the consequences of coronary artery disease. The symptoms of coronary artery disease include shortness of breath, chest pain on exertion or acute coronary syndrome, which is a set of symptoms that arise due to decreased blood flow in the coronary arteries. There is no question that secondary prevention is beneficial in reducing the rate of recurrence of a subsequent heart event. The data around secondary prevention of coronary artery disease is very strong and I do not believe there is any need for alternative interpretations or strategies regarding secondary prevention at this stage.