Atherosclerosis
Treatment
Source: Diana Hysi
In this topic (6)
Treatment of atherosclerosis
Since atherosclerosis involves a long-winded process during which the walls of the arteries change, it required constant care throughout one’s life, in terms of regulating lifestyle. One must make sure that they are consuming a balanced diet, participating in regular physical activity, etc.
In order to prevent atherosclerosis, it is also necessary to appropriately treat other chronic diseases. It is therefore recommended:
- To treat arterial hypertension with antihypertensive drugs
- Antilipidemic drugs
- Statins
- Using medication to reduce risks for forming a blood clot, like aspirin, clepidogrel, etc
- Medicating diabetes type 1 or 2 appropriately and regularly
- In cases of heart issues, it is important to immediately intervene in order to place a stent or by-pass in order to correct the damaged blood vessel, and facilitate the passage of blood to the heart.
Treatments for atherosclerosis
There aren't currently any treatments that can reverse atherosclerosis, but the healthylifestyle changes suggested above mayhelp stop it getting worse.
Sometimes additional treatment to reduce the risk of problems like heart attacks and strokes may also be recommended, such as:
- statins for high cholesterol read more about treating high cholesterol
- medicines for high blood pressure read more about treating high blood pressure
- medicines to reduce the risk of blood clots such as low-dose aspirin or clopidogrel
- dietary changes and medication for diabetes read more about treating type 1 diabetes and treating type 2 diabetes
- a procedure towiden or bypass an affectedartery such as a coronary angioplasty, a coronary artery bypass graft ,or a carotid endarterectomy
How is atherosclerosis treated?
Treatment involves changing your current lifestyle to one that limits the amount of fat and cholesterol you consume. You may need to exercise more to improve the health of your heart and blood vessels.
You may also need additional medical treatments, such as:
Medications
Medications can help prevent atherosclerosis from worsening.
Medications include:
- cholesterol-lowering medications, including statins and fibric acid derivatives
- antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants, such as aspirin, to prevent blood from clotting and clogging your arteries
- beta blockers or calcium channel blockers to lower your blood pressure
- diuretics, or water pills, to help lower your blood pressure
- angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which help prevent narrowing of your arteries
Surgery
In some cases, surgery may be necessary if symptoms are especially severe, or if muscle or skin tissue are endangered.
Possible surgeries for treating atherosclerosis include:
- bypass surgery, which involves using a vessel from somewhere else in your body or a synthetic tube to divert blood around your blocked or narrowed artery
- thrombolytic therapy, which involves dissolving a blood clot by injecting a drug into your affected artery
- angioplasty, which involves using a thin, flexible tube called a catheter and a balloon to expand your artery, sometimes inserting a stent to leave the artery open
- endarterectomy, which involves surgically removing fatty deposits from your artery
- atherectomy, which involves removing plaque from your arteries by using a catheter with a sharp blade at one end
Articles for Atherosclerosis
Causes
Plaque buildup and subsequent hardening of the arteries restricts blood flow in the arteries, preventing your organs and tissues from getting the oxygenated blood they need to function. Many factors place you at risk for atherosclerosis. Some risks can be prevented, while others cannot.
Diagnosis
A heart specialist called a cardiologist may listen to your heart to see if you have any abnormal sounds. They’ll be listening for a whooshing noise, which indicates that an artery is blocked. Your doctor will order more tests if they think you may have atherosclerosis.
Introduction
Atherosclerosis is a process which occurs on the arterial walls of the body. The risks for developing atherosclerosis increase with age. Harmful fats become deposited in plaque form on the internal walls of the arteries, these plaques are called atheroma.
Outlook and Prevention
With treatment, you may see improvement in your health, but this may take time. The success of your treatment will depend on the severity of your condition, how promptly it was treated, and whether other organs were affected.
Symptoms
Most symptoms of atherosclerosis don’t show until a blockage occurs. Common symptoms include chest pain; pain in your leg, arm; shortness of breath, etc. It’s also important to know the symptoms of heart attack and stroke that can be caused by atherosclerosis which require immediate medical attention.
Treatment
Since atherosclerosis involves a long-winded process during which the walls of the arteries change, it required constant care throughout one’s life, in terms of regulating lifestyle. One must make sure that they are consuming a balanced diet, participating in regular physical activity, etc.
