Evaluation of different treatment methods
Drugs used alongside heart conditions and transplants prolong life.
NHS data shows the life expectancy of heart transplant patients:
| Life expectancy (years) | Proportion of patients (%) |
| > 1 | 80–90 |
| > 5 | 70–75 |
| > 10 | 50 |
| Life expectancy (years) | > 1 |
|---|---|
| Proportion of patients (%) | 80–90 |
| Life expectancy (years) | > 5 |
|---|---|
| Proportion of patients (%) | 70–75 |
| Life expectancy (years) | > 10 |
|---|---|
| Proportion of patients (%) | 50 |
Evaluating treatment methods
| Treatment | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Drugs - statins | Reduce the risk of heart attack. Studies have shown a decrease in 'bad cholesterol' and an increase in 'good cholesterol'. Used to reduce high cholesterol levels that have genetic causes. May have beneficial effects on other conditions. | Not suitable for people with liver disease. Some side effects. Must be taken for life. Should not be taken if pregnant or breastfeeding. |
| Heart transplant | Improve quality of life. | Few donor hearts are available. Recovery time is long. There is a risk of rejection by the body's immune system. |
| Stents | Widen coronary arteries that have not responded to drug treatment. The recovery time is short following insertion of the stent. | In a minority of cases, further treatment is required. |
| Lifestyle changes | These include stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake, eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. These changes will improve the health of all people; those with and without cardiovascular disease. | These changes alone may not be enough to prevent further complications. |
| Treatment | Drugs - statins |
|---|---|
| Advantages | Reduce the risk of heart attack. Studies have shown a decrease in 'bad cholesterol' and an increase in 'good cholesterol'. Used to reduce high cholesterol levels that have genetic causes. May have beneficial effects on other conditions. |
| Disadvantages | Not suitable for people with liver disease. Some side effects. Must be taken for life. Should not be taken if pregnant or breastfeeding. |
| Treatment | Heart transplant |
|---|---|
| Advantages | Improve quality of life. |
| Disadvantages | Few donor hearts are available. Recovery time is long. There is a risk of rejection by the body's immune system. |
| Treatment | Stents |
|---|---|
| Advantages | Widen coronary arteries that have not responded to drug treatment. The recovery time is short following insertion of the stent. |
| Disadvantages | In a minority of cases, further treatment is required. |
| Treatment | Lifestyle changes |
|---|---|
| Advantages | These include stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake, eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. These changes will improve the health of all people; those with and without cardiovascular disease. |
| Disadvantages | These changes alone may not be enough to prevent further complications. |
