The following medication taken before going to bed can help avoid a heart attack:
- Blood pressure-lowering medications can ward off the morning rise in blood pressure.
- Medication to lower cholesterol also works better when taken at night, because the liver likes to make extra cholesterol while you sleep. Keeping your cholesterol down in the morning will help reduce the fragility of any plaque buildup in the arteries.
- Baby aspirin, which thins the blood and makes it less likely to clot, can help your blood flow better in the morning when taken just before bed.
- Magnesium (500 mg) taken before bed will help your blood vessels relax and open. Pair it with 1,000 mg of calcium to keep the magnesium from causing runny stools and help stabilize plaque in the arteries.
Medications that can reduce risk of heart attack include aspirin and treatments for cholesterol and blood pressure. Saeed Payvar, MD, from West Valley Cardiology Services, goes into detail in this video.
A number of medications, from low-strength aspirin to cholesterol-reducing statins can help reduce your heart attack risk. In this video, cardiologist Mary Ann McLaughlin, MD, discusses which drugs are best to help prevent heart attacks.
Certain medications—including aspirin—can help minimize damage to the heart if given within 1 hour of the start of heart-attack signals. Some people with heart disease also take prescribed medication for chest pain. You can help by getting the medication and assisting with taking it.
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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.