Ask your doctor to help you plan an exercise program. It is best to start slowly and do more as you get stronger. If you smoke, now is the time to quit. It not only increases your chances of having a heart attack, lung disease, or cancer, but can also further weaken your arteries. If you are having trouble quitting, ask your doctor for help.
Excess weight makes the heart work harder and can cause many other health problems.
If you're overweight, talk to your doctor about a weight-loss plan. Always take your medicine exactly as directed. If it doesn't seem to help, let the doctor know, but keep taking it until told otherwise. If you've been prescribed antibiotics, be sure to use them up, even if you're feeling better. If a medicine makes you drowsy, avoid driving or using dangerous machinery.