Reducing risk factors for heart disease may slow the development of coronary artery disease. Staying healthy can reduce the chance that you will develop bradycardia that is caused by coronary artery disease and other heart conditions.

You can lower your risk of getting coronary artery disease by:

• Not smoking.
• Lowering high blood pressure.
• Controlling diabetes by keeping your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.
• Lowering high cholesterol.
• Staying at a healthy weight.
• Eating a heart-healthy diet.
• Limiting alcohol to 1 alcoholic drink a day for women or 2 drinks a day for men.
• Exercising on most, preferably all, days of the week.
• Lowering the stress in your life.

People at high risk for heart disease and those with heart disease are encouraged to develop a specific program designed to reduce their risk factors. Since people with risk factors may have special exercise needs or diet concerns, they need to talk with their doctors about how to reduce their risks of developing heart disease and bradycardia.

For more information, see the topics Coronary Artery Disease and Cardiac Rehabilitation.