Alternative Therapies for the Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease

Overview

According to the America Heart Association's statistics on heart disease, about 1.3 million Americans have coronary artery disease (CAD). More than half of those die before getting adequate medical treatment. The Framingham Heart Study and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute estimate that each year, there will be over 500,000 new cases of angina---a common precursor to heart attacks. But all the news isn't bad. Between 1995 and 2005, the death rate due to coronary artery disease declined by 34 percent, so there is hope on the horizon.

By the time you've experienced your first heart attack or are at risk for having one, your coronary artery disease is already well advanced. The question, of course, is what to do about. If it's progressed far enough, your options may be few: medications, angioplasty or surgery. However, if you've caught the beginnings of CAD early enough, there are a number of alternative therapies that seem to be producing promising results.

A Primer on Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a slow-developing disease of the coronary arteries that provides blood to the heart tissue. Without a constant supply of blood to the heart, part of the heart tissue will die. This is what is commonly referred to as a heart attack. The loss of blood supply to the heart doesn't necessarily happen quickly. The buildup of cholesterol inside of the coronary arteries can occur as early as one's 20s. Activity, lifestyle choices, diet and many other factors determine how quickly the disease progresses. While all of this is happening in the heart, the same processes may be occurring in the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain and the major blood vessels of the lower extremities. If the blood supply is diminished in the carotid arteries, the result is a stroke. If it occurs in the lower extremities, peripheral artery disease, or PAD, may occur.

Traditional Treatment Approaches

Depending on the severity of the disease, you may have few options. One of the first approaches may involve blood thinners or "clot busting" drugs to try to expand the internal diameter of the coronary arteries. If this approach works, you may be able to ward off further complications by beginning a heart healthy lifestyle. If one or more of the coronary arteries have become obstructed with cholesterol and plaque, angioplasty may be indicated. Angioplasty involves running a narrow catheter through an artery to the point where the coronary artery has become obstructed. Depending on the situation, the blockage can be compressed with a balloon device, opened with with a stent or cleared using laser surgery. In the worst cases, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery may be required. During CABG surgery, the coronary blockage is bypassed by a vein that is harvested from another part of your body to restore circulation to your heart.

Heart Healthy Lifestyle

Whether or not you've had angiography or surgery, it's obvious at this point that something in your lifestyle will need to change. To continue living a normal productive life, you'll need to begin making heart healthy lifestyle changes that include eating a low-fat, low cholesterol (and sometimes low sodium) diet. Your cardiologist will probably recommend that you begin working with a registered dietitian to learn new, healthy eating habits. A good way to start is to use the eating principles laid out by the USDA Food Pyramid (see Resources). The food pyramid is a simple approach to dividing foods into six types of food: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meats and beans and oils. By learning about the Food Pyramid, you'll discover healthy beginnings about estimating portion sizes and how and what types of food choices to make---and more importantly, what choices to avoid.

Exercise

In addition to working with a registered dietitian, your doctor will probably recommend that you work with a cardiac rehabilitation specialist to design a specialized exercise routine for you. During your sessions, you'll learn correct exercise principles designed to make your heart and muscles stronger and to improve your blood lipid profile. You'll also learn how to take your own exercise and recovery heart rate and how to add moderate resistance training to your exercise session. The goal will be to make you stronger and healthier---inside and out.

Supplements

Your registered dietitian may also start you on a series of supplements to make up for nutrients you're not getting through your diet. Some of the more popular supplements for both healthy and those at risk for coronary artery disease include antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, B-complex, omega-3 fish oil and coenzyme Q10. You may also want to try taking niacin, flaxseed, magnesium and arginine to help relax the arteries and enhance blood flow. Be sure to check with your doctor and registered dietitian before taking any new supplements.

Mind-Body Relaxation Techniques

While living a type A lifestyle isn't typically classified as a primary risk factor for heart disease, learning how to cope with life and lower stress levels can help you down your road to recovery. Some of the more popular techniques include Reiki, massage therapy, yoga, Tai chi, listening to music, prayer, meditation and guided imagery. Treating or reversing heart disease can often entail a number of different treatment options.