Are there standard treatments for stable ischemic heart disease?
What can you tell us about those? Dr. Kelly: Standard treatment for this disease consists of a modification of diet, exercise and medications including aspirin, anti-cholesterol drugs, nitroglycerin and beta blockers. These can keep the disease from worsening. But while standard treatment usually alleviates chest pain, it is not universally successful in reducing risk of heart failure or heart attack. For patients with advanced stable ischemic heart disease, treatment can include heart surgery or angioplasty. Debra: What are some of the risk factors associated with ACE inhibitors and ARBs? Dr. Kelly: Risks associated with ACE inhibitors include a persistent cough, sudden fainting, too much potassium in the blood, and dangerously low blood pressure, known as hypotension. Risks associated with ARBs include too much potassium in the blood and low blood pressure. Debra: Tell us about the findings in the study by AHRQ. Dr. Kelly: The AHRQ report found that patients with stable ischemic hear
