Medication is often recommended for people with less severe forms of cardiovascular disease. It could be as simple as adding aspirin to your daily regimen, or your doctor may recommend a medication that treats a specific condition, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, or blood clots.
 

Invasive but non-surgical, these procedures open up blocked arteries. Angioplasty opens up your blocked artery by using a special catheter (a long, thin tube) with a balloon tip, which is inflated to stretch on your artery wall and flatten any fatty deposits (known as "plaque"). Then, a small tube, called a stent, is inserted and permanently placed in your artery to keep it open. You’ll be sedated during this procedure.

For people who have an irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia, a pacemaker may be recommended. This small device, implanted under the skin below your collarbone during a minor surgical procedure, uses leads (wires) that are guided from the device and into your heart, to send electrical impulses and maintain a normal heart rhythm. You’ll be heavily or completely sedated during this procedure.

May 28, 2023

Similar to a pacemaker, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) constantly monitors your heart rate and rhythm. When your heart starts beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly, an electrical signal is sent down the leads to shock the heart back into a normal rhythm. An ICD is recommended for people who have a serious arrhythmia, or who have suffered a cardiac arrest or heart attack and are at risk for cardiac arrest. This is a minor surgical procedure that involves the same implantation process as a pacemaker. You’ll be heavily or completely sedated.
 

Used to treat some types of arrhythmia, a catheter ablation is a procedure that involves placing a long, thin, flexible tube (called an ablation catheter) into a blood vessel in your arm, groin (upper thigh), or neck. The tube is then guided into your heart through the blood vessel, and a special machine sends energy through the tube to your heart. This energy destroys small areas of heart tissue where abnormal heartbeats may cause an arrhythmia to start.

The most invasive form of cardiovascular disease treatment, heart surgery, or open heart surgery, involves making an incision down the center of your breastbone so the surgeon can access your heart. One type of surgery is a bypass, in which a blood vessel from your chest, arms, or legs is removed or redirected around a blocked artery to restore blood flow to your heart. Heart surgeries are very serious, but common, and require significant recovery time. You’ll be completed sedated for the procedure

Whether your treatment is invasive or non-invasive, you’ll have regular appointments with your doctor to monitor your progress. If you’ve had surgery or a stent put it, you will likely go through cardiovascular rehabilitation to help you recover. Here, you’ll get coaching on how to eat better, get your energy back up and be more active, and lead an overall healthier lifestyle.