Take What You Need to Prevent
a Heart Attack and Stroke

Do you have?

Diabetes
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Heart Disease
Chronic Kidney Disease
Stroke
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

These conditions are caused by or can lead to atherosclerosis, which is when fat like deposits called plaque, build up in your artery walls. Over time, this condition can narrow the space inside the artery and harden the walls of the blood vessel. This can make it difficult for blood and oxygen to flow through. Atherosclerosis can lead to a stroke or heart attack.

If the plaque grows large enough to block off an artery in your heart, blood cannot reach the heart muscle. This lack of blood and oxygen can cause chest pain (angina) or a heart attack.

More often, plaque becomes unstable and breaks loose. When this happens, a blood clot forms in the damaged area. The clot can block blood flow. If the artery bringing blood to the brain is blocked, a stroke occurs. If the artery in the heart is blocked, a heart attack occurs.

Other risk factors or causes of atherosclerosis:

smoking
being overweight
not getting enough activity
high cholesterol
high blood pressure

Risk factors you cannot change:

family history of heart disease
older age (as you age, your risk goes up)

The good news is there are ways to treat atherosclerosis and reduce your chances of having a stroke or heart attack:

Take some or all of these preventive medications:

Aspirin
Statin
ACE Inhibitor
Beta Blocker

Talk with your health care professional to find out if some or all of these medications are right for you.

Make healthy lifestyle choices:

Eat a low fat, high fiber diet.
Be physically active for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Quit smoking, if you smoke.

What are you doing to take care of your health?