High cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure may not cause symptoms until cardiovascular disease has become severe and resulted in organ damage. For this reason, it is important to schedule annual visits, or physicals, with your doctor to assess your risk of heart disease. You doctor can measure your blood pressure and order blood tests to look at cholesterol levels.


If any of these measurements are abnormal, she may prescribe medication that could be crucial for preventing a heart attack.
You should start cholesterol screening no later than age 45., Medication that help with blood clots are called antiplatelet agents. Platelets are a component of the blood that are triggered to form blood clots when there is injury. Aspirin is the most commonly used medication in this group. It is a pill generally taken once a day in a dose of 81 to 325 mg. Side effects for regular use include stomach upset and, in rare cases, GI bleeding.


Other types of antiplatelet agents include Plavix, Brilinta, and Effient. These are also pills that are generally taken once daily. The common side effect of taking these is easy bleeding and bruising., Cholesterol medications are called statins. They work by lowering bad cholesterol in your system and raising good cholesterol. This prevents the development of plaque in the heart. There are a number of different types, including Lipitor, Pravachol, Crestor, Mevacor, Altoprev, Zocor, and Livalo. These are pills that are generally taken once daily.


In general, this class of medication is very safe and has very few and infrequent side-effects. Studies have suggested that they can rarely cause minor injury to the liver and kidneys. They can also cause muscle toxicity, injury and breakdown. Statin therapy plays an especially important role in reducing cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients.
 Frequently, lifestyle changes are not enough to reduce blood pressure to healthy levels and prescription medications must be used. Thiazide diuretics reduce fluid volume and cause relaxation of vessels in your heart. This medication is taken once daily. Side effects include low potassium, which can cause muscle weakness and irregular heartbeat, as well as low sodium, which can cause dizziness, vomiting, and fatigue.The most effective regimen for lowering blood pressure is a combination of both lifestyle changes and medication. Sometimes more than one type of medication is necessary.
 ACE inhibitors stop a hormone called Angiotensin II, which results in narrowed vessels and increased fluid retention in the heart. It is generally taken one to three times daily. Major side effects include low blood pressure, which can cause dizziness and fainting, elevated potassium, and cough.


Up to 20% of patients taking an ACE inhibitor will develop a dry, hacking cough, generally within one to two weeks of starting the medication., There are three other types of medications that are classified as blockers. Beta blockers, alpha blockers, and calcium channel blockers. Alpha and beta blockers may be used if you do not respond to other medications. These work by blocking signals from nerves and hormones in the body that cause narrowed blood vessels. They are taken one to three times daily.


Side effects for beta blockers include cough and shortness of breath, low blood sugar, high potassium, depression, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction. Side effects for alpha blockers include headache, nausea, weakness, and weight gain.Also try calcium channel blockers. Calcium channel blockers are potent vasodilators, which work by relaxing the muscle in the wall of vessels. These are generally taken one to three times daily. Side effects include swelling in the lower extremities and decreased heart rate.
Visit your doctor to get assessed.
Take medicine for blood blots.
Get cholesterol medication.
Ask your doctor about thiazide diuretics.
Try angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
Use blockers.
{"src": "wikihow-all_test", "title": "How to Prevent a Heart Attack3"}