The first step for most patients with ischemic heart disease is adopting heart-healthy lifestyle changes. A healthy lifestyle can help slow disease progression and improve your quality of life, as well as reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

It can also help you manage other health problems that can be risk factors for ischemic heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Common lifestyle changes include:

• Quitting smoking
• Losing weight
• Following a diet low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains

Your cardiologist may refer you to cardiac rehabilitation to create a personalized plan for implementing and maintaining these lifestyle changes.

If your ischemic heart disease is causing symptoms, your cardiologist may prescribe one or more medications to help you manage your condition.

Common medications for ischemic heart disease include:

• Antianginal medications to relieve symptoms related to coronary artery disease. These may include nitrates, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers and ranolazine.
• Statins to reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attack
• Aspirin to inhibit clotting and reduce your risk of heart attack

If your ischemic heart disease symptoms are severe and are not responding to less invasive forms of treatment, your cardiologist may recommend a heart procedure or surgery. Common procedures and surgeries for ischemic heart disease include:

• Angioplasty: Your cardiologist uses a thin, flexible tube (catheter) to widen a narrowed or blocked coronary artery. They will then place a stent to keep the artery open during the procedure.
• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG): Your surgeon connects (grafts) a healthy artery from another part of the body to the narrowed or blocked coronary artery, to help improve blood flow.