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With earlier diagnosis and newer treatment, patients with LAM are living longer, with some living more than 20 years after diagnosis. Your doctor will monitor your condition to see if it is stable or getting worse and causing serious complications. Also, your doctor may recommend other medical care, including vaccines, lifestyle changes, and pregnancy and birth control planning.

Your doctor may diagnose you with high blood pressure based on your medical history and if your blood pressure readings are consistently at high levels. Diagnoses for children younger than 13 are based on typical readings for their sex, height, and age.

If you have been diagnosed with a conduction disorder, it is important that you continue your treatment. Follow-up care may depend on your type of conduction disorder, your risk of a complication, and your response to treatment. If you have a conduction disorder whose cause is genetic, talk to your doctor and family members about possible genetic testing for your family members.

It is not typical to screen for bleeding disorders, unless you are having certain types of major surgery or have known risk factors. Your doctor may do a blood test. If you are diagnosed with a bleeding disorder, your doctor may discuss your risk of passing your condition on to a future child.

Your doctor will diagnose atherosclerosis based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and results from one or more tests: blood test, electrocardiogram (EKG), chest x ray, ankle/brachial index, echocardiography, computed tomography (CT) scan, stress testing, and angiography.

Certain traits, conditions, or habits may raise your risk for the disease. Major risk factors include unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking, insulin resistance, diabetes, being overweight, lack of physical activity, an unhealthy diet, older age, and family history of early heart disease.

Many times, the cause of cardiomyopathy isn’t known. Cardiomyopathy can be acquired (you are not born with the condition but develop it due to another disease, condition, or factor) or inherited (your parents passed the gene for the disease on to you).

Taking action to control your risk factors—through heart-healthy eating, physical activity, quitting smoking, and weight control—can help prevent or delay atherosclerosis and its related diseases.

Su plan de tratamiento depende de la gravedad de su enfermedad, la gravedad de sus síntomas y cualquier otra afección de salud que pueda presentar. Los posibles tratamientos para la enfermedad coronaria incluyen cambios en el estilo de vida para un corazón saludable, medicamentos o procedimientos como cirugía de revascularización coronaria o intervención coronaria percutánea.

Las personas que no saben si portan un gen de hemoglobina anormal pueden pedirle a su médico que les haga un análisis de sangre.