Managing Your Angina

This is your 8^th issue in a 9-part e-mail series on cardiovascular health. This message was independently written by RealAge and contains third-party advertisements. Content in the e-mail or on Web pages linked from the e-mail is not endorsed by the third-party advertiser except those links clearly labeled so. Read more about the high editorial standards of RealAge.

Focus on Follow-Up Care
Monitoring your angina and maintaining good heart and artery health is an ongoing process that requires regular checkups with your doctor or cardiologist in order to monitor your treatment. This is especially important if you also have conditions such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. (Learn more about coronary artery disease and its connection to angina.)

From our advertiser: How Much Angina is Too Much? Take the Angina Assessment and Find Out.

You'll get the most from your doctor visits by becoming an active participant in your own care. Here's what you need to do to be your own best advocate:

• Keep a record of your diagnosis and symptoms. Jot down important medical information and symptoms in this printable Health Journal.
• Know your medications, and be aware of side effects. Learn about the medications for angina and their potential side effects.
• Talk to your doctor about diet and exercise. Look up some heart-healthy recipes here.
• Participate and ask questions during your appointments.
• Be honest, and tell your doctor if you're having difficulty following the prescribed treatment plan. He or she will work with you to create a program you can stick with.
• Call your doctor if you develop troubling symptoms or experience medication side effects.

Worried about your heart attack risk? Follow these three steps to get peace of mind for your heart.

Before Your Next Appointment
Prepare a list of questions regarding your condition and treatment. You're less likely to forget important points when you put them in writing. Be sure to include topics such as your symptoms, medications, side effects, diet, exercise, treatment monitoring, and follow-up care. Here's a list of questions that you might want to ask about heart disease.

If you need support, arrange for a friend or family member to go with you to the appointment. Feel free to speak frankly with your doctor, and bring up any concerns you have about your care. Take notes, and ask the doctor to slow down or repeat anything that you don't understand.

More Heart-Health Help
Your angina and heart health are in your hands. There's a lot you can do to control your risk factors for heart problems. All it takes is a commitment to work on taking charge of your body and make it a priority in all areas of your life. Discover whether you're at risk for heart disease and what you can do about it.

Look for the final issue in this newsletter series to provide you with a list of important health goals.

From our advertiser: Find Out How Much You May Be Limiting Activities To Avoid Angina.

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Newsletters are periodically e-mailed to RealAge members who have taken the RealAge Test and have expressed an interest in receiving health information. The RealAge Test is a science-based health assessment that calculates your biological age -- or RealAge -- and includes an Age Reduction® Plan overview.

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