The Cardiac Recovery Handbook The Complete Guide to Life After Heart Attack or Heart Surgery

by Kligfield, Paul; Seaton, Michelle D.; Flach, Frederic

• ISBN13: 9781578262069
• ISBN10: 1578262062
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-02-01
• Publisher: Hatherleigh Press

Summary

How long will I be in the hospital? Do I need to give up all my favorite foods? What are the side effects of that medication? Why do I feel so depressed? When can I have sex again? How can I prevent a second heart attack? Heart surgery or heart attack can be the most frightening experience of your life.Dr. Paul Kligfield, MD, one of the nation's most respected cardiologists, answers all your questions and many more inThe Cardiac Recovery Handbook: The Complete Guide to Life After Heart Attack or Heart Surgery. In clear, everyday language, Dr. Kligfield provides a reassuring and easy-to-understand resource for the millions of Americans suffering from heart disease, as well as their families, healthcare providers, and friends. The Cardiac Recovery Handbookis an invaluable guide through the complexities and confusion surrounding heart disease. It covers all aspects of cardiac recoveryfrom the initial diagnosis of heart disease to medications and surgical options, from hospitalization to rehabilitation, from diet and exercise to keeping your spirits up. Packed with vital and authoritative information,The Cardiac Recovery Handbookis your step-by-step guide to getting back your life, healthier than ever.

Author Biography

Paul Kligfield, MD, is Professor of Medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Director of the Cardiac Health Center in New York City. He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School.

Michelle D. Seaton is an award-winning writer for Yankee Magazine, Reader's Digest, and many more.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION	viii
PART I: Understanding Heart Disease	1	(86)
CHAPTER 1 The Diagnosis Is Heart Disease	3	(16)
What Happened in the Hospital
CHAPTER 2 First Steps in Your Cardiac Recovery	19	(15)
What Happens When You Get Home
CHAPTER 3 The Miracle of Modern Recovery	34	(12)
Advances in Treating Heart Disease
CHAPTER 4 What Is Heart Disease?	46	(25)
An Overview of the Current Understanding of Atherosclerosis
CHAPTER 5 Taking the Risk Factors to Heart	71	(16)
A Summary of the Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Part II: Commonly Prescribed Medications for Heart Disease	87	(66)
CHAPTER 6 Aspirin and Other Anti-Clotting Medications	89	(13)
An Important Step to Prevent a Heart Attack
CHAPTER 7 The Protective Effects of Beta-Blockers	102	(18)
Reducing the Heart's Workload
CHAPTER 8 ACE Inhibitors and ARBs	120	(15)
Reducing Blood Pressure and Improving Blood Flow
CHAPTER 9 Statins and Other Lipid-Lowering Medications	135	(18)
Combatting Atherosclerosis
Part Ill: What You Can Do to Reduce Your Risk Factors	153	(122)
CHAPTER 10 Cardiac Rehabilitation	155	(22)
The Benefits of a Specially Designed Exercise Program
CHAPTER 11 Cholesterol	177	(13)
Lowering Cholesterol through Diet and Exercise
CHAPTER 12 Hypertension	190	(23)
Keeping Your Blood Pressure Under Control
CHAPTER 13 The Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes	213	(7)
The Dangers of Insulin Resistance and High Blood Sugar
CHAPTER 14 The Importance of Getting to a Healthy Weight	220	(14)
How Obesity Affects the Course of Heart Disease
CHAPTER 15 Choosing Life over Smoking	234	(19)
How Smoking Hurts Your Heart
CHAPTER 16 Emotional Risk Factors	253	(22)
The Effects of Stress, Depression, and Anger
AFTERWORD by Frederic Flach, MD, KCHS	275	(6)
APPENDIX I Commonly Used Cardiovascular Medications	281	(3)
APPENDIX II Glossary	284	(16)
APPENDIX III Resources	300	(2)
APPENDIX IV Selected Bibliography	302	(4)
INDEX	306