Heart Disease: Can You Prevent a Heart Attack or Stroke?

A diagnosis of coronary artery disease, or CAD, should be taken seriously. But what does this mean exactly? CAD is the most common type of heart disease — 18 million adults in the U.S. live with the condition — roughly the combined populations of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and our fair city of Houston. In this episode, we explore how we can prevent CAD from ever developing — and potentially prevent it from ever leading to heart attack or stroke.   Expert: Dr. Mahmoud Al Rifai, Preventive Cardiologist Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber Notable topics covered: What causes CAD — and who’s at risk Cholesterol: the major culprit behind the development of arterial plaque  Why someone should take a CAD diagnosis seriously The four types of heart disease prevention How cardiologists calculate your risk for heart attack or stroke Coronary artery calcium score: The CT scan that can show the severity of CAD The differences between heart disease, cardiovascular disease and CAD  Can you reverse the effects of coronary artery disease? Ways to control CAD risk factors to prevent heart attacks, stroke How to move past guilt, shame after a CAD diagnosis to change the course of the condition How to support a loved one with heart disease How stress and mental health affects your heart health  If you enjoy these kinds of conversations, be sure to subscribe. And for more topics like this, visit our blog at houstonmethodist.org/blog.