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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffThere haven't been any scientific studies to show what you can do to prevent small vessel disease, but it seems that controlling the disease's major risk factors — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity — can help. Things you can do that may help reduce your risk include:
- Don't smoke. If you smoke, the most important thing you can do to improve your heart's health is to stop. Talk to your doctor if you're having trouble with quitting.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet. Too much saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet can narrow arteries to your heart. Follow your doctor's and dietitian's advice on eating a heart-healthy diet that includes plenty of whole grains, lean meat, low-fat dairy, and fruits and vegetables. Also, watch your salt and fat intake. Eating too much salt and saturated or trans fats will increase your blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps improve heart muscle function and keeps blood flowing through your arteries. It can also prevent a heart attack by helping you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure. Exercise doesn't have to be vigorous. For example, walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week can improve your health.
- Check your cholesterol. Have your blood cholesterol levels checked regularly, through a blood test at your doctor's office. If your bad cholesterol levels are undesirably high, your doctor can prescribe changes to your diet and medications to help lower the numbers and protect your cardiovascular health.
- Control your blood pressure. Ask your doctor how frequently you need to have your blood pressure checked. Your doctor may recommend more frequent checks if you have high blood pressure or a history of heart disease.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight strains your heart and can contribute to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Losing weight can lower your risk of small vessel disease.
- Manage stress. To reduce your risk of a heart attack, reduce stress in your day-to-day activities. Rethink workaholic habits and find healthy ways to minimize or deal with stressful events in your life.
- Control blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar at appropriate levels can help reduce the risk of complications. Work with your doctor to establish blood sugar goals that are right for you.
- If you have polycystic ovary syndrome, ask your doctor if metformin could help. Treatment with metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza), a medication that helps reduce insulin resistance, may reduce the risk of small vessel disease in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
References
- Lanza GA, et al. Primary coronary microvascular dysfunction: Clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and management. Circulation. 2010;121:2317.
- What is coronary microvascular disease? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/cmd/cmd_all.html. Accessed July 10, 2010.
- Beltrame JF, et al. Advances in coronary microvascular dysfunction. Heart, Lung and Circulation. 2009;18:19.
- Camici PC, et al. Coronary microvascular dysfunction. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:830.
- Lakhani K, et al. Microvascular dysfunction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Human Reproduction. 2005;20:3219.
- Topcu S, et al. Metformin therapy improves coronary microvascular function in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance. Clinical Endocrinology. 2006;65:75.
- Foster W, et al. Inflammation and microvascular and macrovascular endothelial dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis: Effect of treatment. The Journal of Rheumatology. 2010;37:711.
- Kurth T, et al. Migraine and ischaemic vascular events. Cephalalgia. 2007;27:965.
- Coenzyme Q10. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed July 11, 2010.
- Littarru GP, et al. Clinical aspects of coenzyme Q10: An update. Nutrition. 2010;26:250.
- Hamilton SJ, et al. Coenzyme Q10 improves endothelial dysfunction in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes Care. 2009;32:810.
- L-arginine. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed July 11, 2010.
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