From the Guidelines
The most effective approach to managing heart health is through a combination of lifestyle modifications and guideline-directed medical therapy, as recommended by the most recent guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association 1.
Key Recommendations
- Regular exercise and a balanced diet low in saturated fats and sodium are essential for maintaining heart health.
- Avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol consumption, and managing stress are also crucial for reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Getting regular check-ups to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and overall cardiovascular function is vital for early detection and treatment of heart conditions.
Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy
- The use of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs), such as sacubitril/valsartan, is recommended for patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II/III heart failure who have been stable on a prior regimen of ACE inhibitor or ARB 1.
- Beta-blocker therapy is recommended for all patients with stable, symptomatic heart failure (NYHA functional class II to IV) to reduce the risk of heart failure hospitalization and death 1.
- Adding mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) to ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers is recommended for patients with NYHA functional class II to IV heart failure who have left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35% to reduce morbidity and mortality 1.
Importance of Patient-Centered Care
- Patient-centered care is essential for improving outcomes and quality of life for patients with heart conditions, as emphasized in recent guidelines and studies 1.
- Close collaboration between cardiologists, specialist nurses, general practitioners, and other experts is necessary for providing comprehensive care to patients with heart failure 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Heart Health
- The American Heart Association recommends lifestyle approaches to prevent and treat elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, with physical activity being a critical component of first-line treatment 2.
- Increasing physical activity has extensive benefits, including improving both blood pressure and blood cholesterol, and is comparable, superior, or complementary to other healthy lifestyle changes 2.
Treatment of Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia
- Fixed-dose combination regimens of amlodipine and atorvastatin are recommended for treating patients with concomitant hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, with higher doses of atorvastatin leading to better clinical outcomes 3, 4.
- Treatment with a fixed-dose combination of amlodipine and high-dose atorvastatin has been shown to reduce the risk of composite cardiovascular outcomes compared to free combination or lower-dose regimens 3.
- The safety and effectiveness of combined antihypertensive and cholesterol-lowering therapy have been demonstrated in high-/very high-risk patients, with significant reductions in blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels 5.
Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
- Healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as regular exercise, healthy eating habits, adequate sleep, and smoking cessation, are essential for preventing cardiovascular disease 6.
- Cardiac rehabilitation programs emphasize the importance of making comprehensive lifestyle behavior changes to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease 6.
- Clinicians play a crucial role in promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors to prevent cardiovascular disease, and should assess and encourage patients to adopt healthy habits 6.