According to statistics, about 17.6 million people die every year from heart and blood vessel diseases in the world. Patients with diagnosed cardiological pathologies are required to undergo an examination annually. In addition, they should take medications to prevent heart disease and correct its diseases. The drugs are prescribed by the doctor, depending on the type of pathology and the individual characteristics of the body.
Heart Risk Factors
Relentless statistics show that cardiovascular diseases occupy a leading position among all pathologies. But the worst part is that diseases are increasingly being diagnosed at a young age.
The best way to minimize the likelihood of atherosclerosis, heart attack, ischemia, hypertension, cardiac ischemia is the prevention of diseases. First of all, you need to know the risk factors, the elimination of which will help restrain the progression of pathologies.
- High cholesterol (from 5.0 mmol / L).
- Glucose levels are greater than 6.0 mmol / L.
- Smoking of all kinds (electronic cigarettes, hookah).
- Regular consumption of alcohol.
- Low physical activity.
- Obesity.
- Improper nutrition: the menu is dominated by fried, smoked, salty foods.
- Chronic stress and lack of sleep.
Unfortunately, for people who already have cardiac disorders, excluding all risk factors is not enough. In order to avoid deterioration of the clinical picture, it is necessary to use special drugs.
What medications to take to prevent heart disease?
The answer to this question should be given by a cardiologist. Cardiovascular pathology is a general name, which means all diseases of the circulatory system. This group is very extensive and includes the following:
- Structural and functional myocardial damage caused by impaired coronary circulation (heart attack, angina pectoris).
- Heart failure.
- Inflammatory heart diseases of infectious genesis (myocarditis, endocarditis).
- Birth defects in the structure of the heart.
Drug therapy and prevention includes different groups of drugs. What medications for heart prophylaxis should be prescribed depends on the condition of the patient and the type of cardiological pathology:
- beta-blockers are usually prescribed for angina pectoris, tachycardia;
- ACE inhibitors - heart failure;
- calcium antagonists - atrial fibrillation;
- nitrates - angina pectoris;
- anticoagulants - prevention of heart attack;
- cardiac glycosides - heart failure.
In severe forms of cardiac pathologies, several types of drugs of various groups are prescribed.
Reflex vasodilator drugs
Vasodilators (vasodilators) are represented by a large group of drugs. For the treatment of cardiological diseases, agents are used. With antispasmodic hypotensive effect. These include:
- "Papaverine". Relieves stress and relaxes smooth muscles. At high dosages, it helps to reduce the excitability of the heart muscle, leading to changes in intracardiac conduction. The drug is used to eliminate pain in the fibro-muscular organ.
- "Theodibaverine" - a medicine for the prevention of heart and blood vessels. Reduces vascular smooth muscle excitation. Increases the ability of the heart muscle to respond to excitation by rhythmic contractions. The drug is prescribed for angina pectoris, heart pain.
- "Validol" - dilates blood vessels, increases their permeability. It weakens pain behind the sternum. Around the drug there is much debate about whether to remove it from the list or not. The pharmaceutical and cardiology community considers the product obsolete and its effectiveness unproven.
Nitrates and nitro-like products
The therapeutic effect of nitrovasodilators is based on increasing the content of nitric oxide in the cells. As a result, muscle relaxation of the blood vessels occurs. Nitrates are widely used as a medicine for strengthening the heart and for the prevention of vascular diseases.
- Nitromint. It promotes relaxation of the smooth muscles of blood vessels, causing their expansion, which reduces overload and afterload of the heart. Reduces the oxygen demand of the heart muscle. Enhances coronary blood flow, which increases the delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle. The medicine is used for left ventricular failure and angina pectoris.
- Pectrol. Expands peripheral veins, reduces venous return to the fibro-muscular organ. Reduces vascular resistance, blood pressure, oxygen demand of the heart muscle. Increases tolerance to physical activity during ischemia, the number of angina attacks, contributes to the unloading of the myocardium, reduces pressure.
- Cardicet. The drug is a prolonged action. After taking the pill, it quickly begins to act (15 minutes). The tool equally well expands arteries and veins, which leads to a decrease in preload and pressure in the left ventricle. Provides improved blood supply to the myocardium. "Cardiket" is taken to prevent angina attacks, for quick recovery after a heart attack.
Antiplatelet agents
A group of drugs that affect hemostasis. Antiplatelet agents prevent platelet adhesion, preventing thrombosis. In cardiology, both long-known and modern means are used.
The most frequently recommended and prescribed antiaggregation medicine for cardiac prophylaxis is Cardiomagnyl. The drug is used to prevent thrombosis, acute heart failure, especially in patients with risk factors (advanced age, obesity, diabetes, smoking). Also, “Cardiomagnyl” is prescribed for the prevention of repeated heart attack, thromboembolism after coronary angioplasty.
The following antiplatelet agents have also proven themselves well:
- Clopidex. Assign to prevent complications in patients with heart attack, ischemia (with a prescription of no more than six months), acute coronary syndrome. Used for the prevention of strokes in atrial fibrillation.
- "ThromboMag" is intended for prolonged use for the primary prevention of thrombosis, acute dysfunction of the heart. The drug is used to prevent recurrence of a heart attack and the formation of blood clots in blood vessels, unstable angina pectoris.
Preparations similar in their mechanism of action: Zilt, Klapitaks, Plaviks, Plagril, Phazostabil, Trombital.
Calcium channel blockers
Calcium ions are important for the normal functioning of the body. With ischemia, hypoxia, their concentration increases, which leads to increased metabolic processes in cells. The need for tissue oxygen increases and there are various destructive changes.
Calcium antagonists inhibit the penetration of calcium into the muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. The drugs have anti-ischemic, hypotensive, cardioprotective, antiarrhythmic effects. Medicines for the prevention of heart disease, belonging to the group of calcium tubule blockers:
- "Nifedipine" refers to first-generation calcium antagonists, that is, it is less effective and has a large number of side effects. The drug is used to prevent attacks of pain behind the sternum, Prinzmetal angina, hypertrophic, obstructive cardiomyopathy. Contraindicated in cardiological shock and in the first week after acute heart attack.
- "Omelar Cardio" is a second-generation calcium antagonist with antianginal, hypotensive effect. It is used for stable, vasospastic, variant angina pectoris. It is prescribed for the prevention of coronary atherosclerosis, recurrence of a heart attack.
- "Felodipine." Helps to increase the volume of the heart chambers, improves coronary circulation, weakens afterload on the heart. Patients taking the drug more easily tolerate physical activity, their frequency of attacks decreases. Effective for older people. "Fulodipine" is prescribed for intolerance to nitrates and beta-blockers. The main indications: various forms of angina pectoris.
Beta blockers
Drugs that inhibit the sensitivity of neurons to adrenaline and norepinephrine are divided into beta1-adrenergic receptor blockers and beta2-adrenergic receptors. In cardiology, for the treatment and prophylaxis of the heart, mainly selective beta1-adrenergic receptors are used.
- "Bravadin." It normalizes heart rate, but does not affect the contractility of the heart muscle. The drug has virtually no effect on blood pressure, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. "Bravadin" is indicated for stable angina pectoris, to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular complications.
- "Vero-Amlodipine" has an antihypertensive effect. Expands arterioles, increases oxygen enrichment of the main coronary arteries in ischemic zones of the myocardium. It is indicated for monotherapy and as part of complex treatment for pain behind the sternum, non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, and in the third and fourth stages of heart failure. And also it is prescribed for the inefficiency of nitrates.
- Carvedilol is a medicine for the prevention of heart and hypertension. Reduces heart rate, dilates peripheral vessels, pre- and afterload on the heart. In addition, the drug has an antioxidant effect, prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Indications: sinus tachyarrhythmia, heart attack, atrial fibrillation, decompensated violation of the functionality of the heart muscle.
Antiarrhythmic drugs
A group of drugs used in various pathological conditions characterized by a violation of the frequency, rhythm and contractility of the heart. The group includes a huge number of medicines. Classified by localization of action and use in cardiology. Some types of drugs are used exclusively in a hospital setting. But most are still designed for outpatient therapy and prevention.
- “Panangin is probably the most famous antiarrhythmic medicine for heart prophylaxis. The active substances of the drug are potassium and magnesium. These intracellular cations play an important role in the mechanism of muscle contractility, they improve metabolic processes in myocardial cells. The lack of trace elements leads to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, arrhythmias, metabolic disorders in carcinomas. "Panangin" is effective in heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, during the rehabilitation period after a heart attack.
- Asparkam has the same active pharmaceutical substance as Panangin, but in a higher concentration. It has a moderate antiarrhythmic effect. It is prescribed for the prevention and treatment of heart failure, ischemia.
- “Digoxin is a pacemaker, antiarrhythmic drug. The drug is a strong action, the dosage is selected by the doctor for each individually. Indications for use are a chronic form of weakening of the contractile ability of the heart muscle, a ciliated type of tachyarrhythmia (fast heart rate), a paroxysmal increase in heart rate resulting from a violation of blood circulation in the myocardium, and atrial flutter. For patients with risk factors, the use of the drug is carried out under the strict supervision of a cardiologist.
Medicines for heart prevention after 50 years
With age, the risk of vascular disease increases dramatically. Unfortunately, people do not want to go to the doctor again. They are afraid to hear the “verdict” and prefer to independently buy drugs for the prevention of heart disease.
Information is usually taken from advertising, not realizing that there are no medicines suitable for everyone, without exception. In addition, promotional drugs are often much more expensive and less effective than little-known, but effective heart remedies.
List of drugs that reduce the risk of heart disease in people over 50:
- Cardiomagnyl.
- "Aspirin Cardio" is an antiplatelet agent prescribed for primary prevention of heart attack, stable and unstable angina pectoris.
- "Rosuvastatin" - a lipid-lowering agent prescribed for ischemia, heart attack, atherosclerosis.
- "Enalapril" is a vasodilator, which is taken for the treatment and prevention of heart failure.
- Mikardis is a hypotensive drug.
What vitamins are needed for the heart
Low molecular weight organic compounds are necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Their lack can provoke the development of various pathologies. To maintain the health of any organ, certain micro and macro elements are needed.
List of natural vitamins for the heart and for the prevention of vascular diseases:
- ascorbic acid;
- retinol;
- tocopherol;
- routine;
- folic acid;
- thiamine;
- pyridoxine.
Vitamins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease
In the modern world, natural products are gradually moving into the category of scarce goods. Moreover, the rhythm of life often does not contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In order to maintain health, it is necessary to take special pharmacy complexes of minerals, micro and macro elements.
List of preparations containing vitamins for the prevention of heart and blood vessels:
- Cardio Forte;
- "Doppelherts Cardiovital";
- Cardiohels;
- "Synchron-7";
- "Direct".