How Are Coronary Artery Spasms Treated?
Lifestyle changes are needed to reduce the number of spasms and the risk of complications. It’s important to lower elevated cholesterol levels and treat other risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Cigarette smoking can trigger coronary artery spasms and also raise the risk of heart disease. Kick the habit! Any kind of stimulant such as amphetamine medications or caffeine should be avoided. Even exposure to cold and stress can trigger episodes of coronary artery spasm. Doctors sometimes prescribe nitroglycerin to treat the immediate symptoms of coronary spasm. This helps to open up the coronary arteries and reverse the spasm. Other medications such as calcium channel blockers can be used to prevent coronary spasms by dilating the vessels. Some recent studies show that L-arginine, an amino acid found in meats and nuts, helps to prevent coronary artery spasms because it’s a precursor to nitric oxide which dilates the coronary arteries.
