How to eliminate atherosclerotic plaques?

Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Arterial plaques associated with atherosclerosis are generally impossible to completely eliminate, but it is feasible to prevent the progression of the disease and strive for stable reversal. Achieving stability and reversal involves a balanced diet, appropriate physical and athletic activity, maintaining a positive mood, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, and actively controlling hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Additionally, some medications that stabilize plaques may be necessary, mainly including lipid-modifying statins. For patients with soft plaques who are at risk of acute cardiovascular events, it may also be necessary to take anti-vascular medications. For those already showing signs of organ ischemia, interventional or surgical treatment may even be needed. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

Other Voices

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
1min 18sec home-news-image

The difference between arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis.

Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are two different concepts. Arteriosclerosis is a type of vascular disease within arteriosclerosis, but atherosclerosis is more commonly significant clinically. Hence, it is customarily referred to simply as arteriosclerosis, generally implying atherosclerosis. The causes of arteriosclerosis are numerous, but they share common characteristics including thickening, hardening, loss of elasticity, and narrowing of the arterial walls. Atherosclerosis is characterized by lesions starting in the innermost layer of the artery, involving local accumulation of lipids, complex carbohydrates, fibrous tissue proliferation, and calcification forming plaques, along with a gradual degeneration of the innermost layer. The lipid accumulation gives the inner layer a yellowish, porridge-like appearance, hence the name atherosclerosis.

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
1min 35sec home-news-image

Is coronary arteriosclerosis serious?

The severity of arterial atherosclerosis is related to the location of the lesion and the narrowing it causes in the coronary arteries. This is because if the blood flow through the coronary arteries is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of the heart muscle, it can lead to ischemia and hypoxia of the heart muscle, causing angina. Severe and prolonged ischemia can lead to myocardial necrosis, or myocardial infarction. When there is significant narrowing in the coronary artery lumen, for instance more than 50%-75%, the situation can be compensated during rest. However, during exercise or rapid heart rate or emotional excitation, the oxygen demand of the heart muscle increases. This may result in mild or transient myocardial oxygen supply, or an imbalance between supply and demand. Another scenario involves unstable atherosclerotic plaques that rupture, erode, or bleed, leading to platelet aggregation or thrombus formation, causing a rapid worsening of luminal narrowing. This results in a decreased supply of oxygen to heart muscle, leading to acute coronary syndrome, which is very severe. In fact, the degree of coronary artery atherosclerosis is positively correlated with plaque stability, plaque location, and the elasticity of the coronary artery.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
43sec home-news-image

How to prevent arteriosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a disease related to aging, poor lifestyle habits such as smoking, and metabolic abnormalities such as hyperlipidemia or diabetes. Atherosclerosis can be effectively prevented. To prevent atherosclerosis, the following should be adhered to: First, maintain good lifestyle habits, exercise regularly, quit smoking, limit alcohol consumption, and eat less spicy and greasy foods. Second, control blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar levels. When issues such as elevated blood pressure and lipids arise, it is necessary to use medication under the guidance of a doctor.

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Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
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How is arteriosclerosis treated?

To treat arteriosclerosis, we differentiate treatments based on the severity of the condition. For early-stage patients, we emphasize the control of lipids, blood pressure, and blood sugar to potentially slow the progression of arteriosclerosis. For patients who have already suffered damage to target organs, such as cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, renal artery stenosis, or mesenteric artery stenosis, treatment might significantly rely on medication, and could possibly require the use of stents or even surgical bypass procedures. For the general population, we emphasize primary prevention, which includes a reasonable diet, appropriate exercise, and a balanced mental state to effectively prevent the disease.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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What tea to drink for arteriosclerosis?

Patients with arteriosclerosis can drink various types of tea, including green tea, black tea, chrysanthemum tea, goji berry tea, and ginseng tea. These teas can be consumed to increase blood flow, renew knowledge, enhance circulation, cleanse the blood vessels, and alleviate arteriosclerosis. However, one should not rely solely on drinking tea to treat arteriosclerosis. It is also necessary to use certain medications and adjust dietary structures, adopting a low-fat, low-salt, low-sugar diet, avoiding animal liver and fatty meats, reducing the intake of fried foods, and abstaining from high-cholesterol foods such as cream, fish roe, and shrimp.