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to problems in the heart muscles, valves or narrowing of the aorta called a coarctation. Heart problems that occur before birth may or may not present with symptoms until later in life.

How would you know if your heart is on a disease track? Scheduling a visit to your internist, family doctor or cardiologist will bring to light heart disease that may be causing problems on the hush.

Simple tools like a stethoscope and the skilled ear of a physician can provide a preliminary diagnosis for heart disease. Other diagnostic tests include blood work, chest X-rays, EKGs, stress tests and coronary angiography. Once a diagnosis is confirmed your physician will choose a treatment approach best suited for your needs.

Check out some drug used to help treat heart disease:

As simple as OTC: Pick up a bottle of aspirin and be sure to check with your doctor first. Studies show that it helps to prevent heart attack and stroke.

Boost the good, lower the bad: HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol can be controlled by drugs like statins (e.g. Lipitor).

NBC - no, not the TV network: Nitrates, Beta-blockers, and Calcium channel blockers are drug classes that are used to treat heart disease.

Over 80 million Americans suffer from one or more forms of heart disease. Learning about your family history, making better lifestyle choices when it comes to exercising, dieting and smoking is a step in the right direction to living your life one healthy heart beat at a time.

Learn more about this author, JL Francis.
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