If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart condition, you may wonder whether your disease is permanent. “Is it reversible? Can diet and lifestyle change anything?” one MyHeartDiseaseTeam member asked.

“These diseases can be managed by proper guidance by a specialist, but no cures I’ve heard of,” wrote another member. Their comment reflects a fairly accurate picture of heart disease as it stands with current research.

Over time, plaque can build up in the walls of your arteries, which is known as atherosclerosis. When your coronary arteries, which supply your heart with blood, become partly or fully blocked by plaque, that can lead to coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary heart disease.

Most of the time, coronary heart disease is not reversible because doctors aren’t able to completely clear the plaque buildup from your arteries. However, with treatments and lifestyle changes, you can lower your likelihood of complications, like heart attack.

Read on to better understand the factors you may be able to control if you’re living with coronary heart disease.

Managing Risk of Complications

Even if you already have CAD, you can slow the disease’s progression by managing associated risk factors. Risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides, as well as having a body mass index (BMI) above 25. BMI, a measure of height and weight, is just one tool doctors use to look at overall health. Your doctor might prescribe medications to help with these risk factors.

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure medications can widen your blood vessels to create more space for blood flow, remove extra fluids from your blood, or block hormones that raise your blood pressure.

You may be prescribed more than one blood pressure treatment at once. The goal of treating high blood pressure is to prevent heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, or stroke by making it easier for your heart to pump blood without overexerting itself.

Cholesterol

Another way to manage risk is to lower your cholesterol with antihyperlipidemic medication. These drugs can reduce risk of heart attack and stroke, decrease your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, decrease your triglyceride levels, and increase your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to fatty buildup in your arteries, whereas HDL — “good” cholesterol — can keep LDL away from these arteries.

Chest Pain

One of the most common symptoms of heart disease is angina (chronic chest pain during exertion). Angina can be treated with medications like ranolazine (Ranexa) and nitroglycerin (Nitrostat).

Tell your doctor if your chest pain becomes stronger over time, happens more often, lasts longer, doesn’t get better with medicine, or occurs not only when you’re active but also when you’re resting.

Blood Clots

Excessive blood clotting, also known as hypercoagulation, is another complication of heart disease. One way to avoid it is to talk with your doctor about alternatives to medications that contain estrogen. Studies show that there might be a connection between estrogen and excessive blood clots. You should also try to move your body regularly to improve blood flow.

People living with CAD are at increased risk of heart attack — sudden injury and loss of function of heart muscle. A heart attack usually happens when sensitive structures called atherosclerotic plaques sustain a kind of “wound.” A blood clot then forms on the injured plaque, which may abruptly block the blood flow in the coronary artery. Part of the heart muscle supplied by the blocked artery can’t get any oxygen from blood, leading to sudden chest pain.

Anyone possibly experiencing a heart attack should contact emergency services immediately. A doctor treats a heart attack by getting into the blocked artery with a wire that has a small balloon attached. The balloon opens the artery by crushing the clot, and a small metal tube called a stent gets inserted to keep the artery open. It’s important to do this procedure, called angioplasty and stent placement, as soon as possible to prevent losing the affected part of the heart muscle.

If you’re diagnosed with CAD, your doctor might prescribe antithrombotic medications that reduce the risk of clot formation.

Controlling Lifestyle-Related Risk Factors

Lifestyle changes, like improving your diet, exercising more, and drinking less alcohol, can reduce your risk of heart disease complications. Many heart disease medications work better if you also follow a healthy lifestyle, which may include dietary changes and physical activity.

Diet

Your diet is one of the biggest factors you can control when it comes to preventing heart disease from getting worse.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Salt (sodium)
• Saturated fats
• Trans fats
• Added sugars
• Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, salty snacks, crackers, and baked goods
• Red meat, such as beef, pork, veal, and lamb
• Processed meat, such as hot dogs, salami, pepperoni, and bologna

It’s also best to avoid sweetened drinks, like soda, and beverages containing alcohol.

Foods you should try to eat instead include:

• Spices like turmeric, garlic, and cinnamon
• Healthy (unsaturated) fats, such as nuts, seeds, and plant oils
• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Lean animal protein, such as poultry without skin
• Fish
• Egg whites

To quench your thirst, opt for sugar-free drinks such as green tea or sparkling water.

Fruits and vegetables are important, especially for people with high blood pressure, because they provide antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber — nutrients that can help prevent disease. In particular, eating a fiber-rich diet can help control your blood sugar levels, keep your bowel movements regular, and manage your weight (if that’s a goal).

To get more fruits and vegetables into your diet, consider buying precut fruit and veggies. You might be more likely to grab bite-size pieces for a snack or add them to dishes when cooking. Aim to eat a variety of colorful produce to get the most nutrients.

Eating a more plant-based diet can help you lose weight, if desired, and lower your heart disease risk, because you’ll avoid the cholesterol and saturated fat associated with animal protein. Good plant sources of protein include:

• Legumes (dried beans, peas, and lentils)
• Nuts and nut butters
• Seeds
• Tofu

Exercise

Physical activity offers many heart health benefits, including strengthening the heart muscle, reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, and lowering blood sugar. It can also strengthen your bones and promote weight loss.

Talk to your health care provider about what kind of exercise you can do safely and comfortably. You want to make your heart work hard but not too hard.

Aerobic activity, such as walking, swimming, light jogging, and biking, can help your heart use oxygen better and improve blood flow. Aim to do some form of aerobic exercise at least three or four times a week. Make sure you warm up before exercise and cool down afterward to prevent injury.

Be careful not to put too much strain on your heart during exercise. Stop what you’re doing and take a rest if you experience:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Chest pain
• Irregular heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea

Let your doctor know if exercise brings on those symptoms.

Also, tell your doctor if you feel pain, pressure, tightness, or heaviness in your chest, arm, neck, or jaw, as well as if you develop gas pains or indigestion, experience numbness in your arms, or lose color.

Smoking Cessation

It’s well established that smoking puts you at risk of heart disease. The chemicals you inhale make you more likely to get plaque buildup in your arteries. Even light smoking can damage your heart and blood vessels.

Quitting smoking will be better for you than continuing, no matter how much or how long you’ve smoked. If you already have CAD and quit smoking, you’ll significantly lower your risk of having more heart attacks or dying from heart disease.

Your risk will begin to lower shortly after you quit smoking, and your risk of heart disease related to smoking will fall even more as time goes by. Your risks of atherosclerosis and smoking-related blood clots also get lower and lower after you quit.

A good resource to help you quit smoking is Smokefree.gov. Your health care provider can also tell you about sources of support.

In general, when it comes to heart disease, prevention is more feasible than cure. Even if you already have heart disease, you can slow its progression and help prevent major complications through a combination of medical treatments and a healthy lifestyle.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyHeartDiseaseTeam is the social network for people with heart disease and their loved ones. More than 61,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with heart disease.

How have you managed your heart disease? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.