Kelly, can you start by telling us a little bit about the treatment offered by the two types of medications used to treat heart disease?
Dr. Kelly: Sure. Treatment featuring the two medications – inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers, or ARBs – can lead to a reduction in death, risk of heart attack, risk of stroke, and fewer hospitalizations for heart failure for patients suffering from stable ischemic heart disease. Debra: 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 inhibito
