Atherosclerosis Treatment

Atherosclerosis is a common condition affecting your arteries. Diseases associated with atherosclerosis are the leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, nearly half of Americans between ages 45 and 84 are unaware that they have atherosclerosis.

Thought to be a heart problem, atherosclerosis can affect arteries anywhere in the body. Advanced Surgical Technology can treat the condition, and healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent the vascular disease from presenting or progressing.

What is Atherosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are sometimes used to refer to the same condition, but there is a difference between the two terms.

Arteriosclerosis occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the arteries become thick and stiff — sometimes restricting blood flow to the organs and tissues.

Atherosclerosis is a specific type of arteriosclerosis referring to the buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls. This buildup is called plaque which can cause arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow. Plaque can also burst, resulting in a blood clot.

What are the Symptoms of Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis symptoms do not usually appear until an artery is significantly narrowed or clogged, so it cannot supply enough blood to organs and tissues. Alternatively, a blood clot may completely block blood flow. The clot could break apart and trigger a heart attack or stroke.

Symptoms of moderate to severe atherosclerosis depend on which arteries are affected. An example of this would be how atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to your brain can present as:

Sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs
Difficulty speaking or slurred speech
Temporary loss of vision in one eye
Drooping facial muscles. These signal a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Untreated, a TIA can lead to a stroke.

Some other symptoms of atherosclerosis include:

Atherosclerosis in your heart arteries presents as chest pain or pressure
Atherosclerosis in the arteries in your arms and legs presents as symptoms of peripheral artery disease, such as leg pain when walking
Atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to your kidneys can cause you to develop high blood pressure or kidney failure

How do you Diagnose Atherosclerosis?

Your general health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your personal and family health history. You may be referred to a cardiologist if your doctor hears a whooshing sound when listening to your arteries with a stethoscope.

Depending on the results of your physical exam, your doctor may suggest one of the following tests that are used to diagnose atherosclerosis:

Blood tests to check blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as high levels of blood sugar and cholesterol raise the risk of atherosclerosis
A C-reactive protein (CRP) test checks for the protein linked to inflammation of the arteries
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) measures the heart's electrical activity and can help determine if there's reduced blood flow to the heart
If your symptoms usually occur during exercise, an exercise stress test can show heart problems that might otherwise be missed
An echocardiogram uses sound waves to show blood flow through the heart
Doppler ultrasound measures your blood pressure at various points along your arm or leg to show the speed of blood flow in the arteries

Ankle-brachial index (ABI) compares the blood pressure in the ankle with that in the arm, as the difference may be due to peripheral vascular disease, usually caused by atherosclerosis
Cardiac catheterization and angiogram use dye to help the arteries show up more clearly on images taken during the test
A coronary calcium scan, or a heart scan, uses computerized tomography (CT) imaging to show calcium deposits in the artery walls
Other imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or positron emission tomography (PET), can show the hardening and narrowing of large arteries and aneurysms

What Can Cause Atherosclerosis?

The exact cause of atherosclerosis is unknown, but it may start with damage or injury to the inner layer of an artery. Damage resulting in atherosclerosis may be caused by:

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
High triglycerides
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Diabetes
Insulin resistance

Obesity
Inflammation from an unknown cause
Inflammation from diseases such as arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, or inflammatory bowel disease
Lack of exercise
Aging
A family history of early heart disease
An unhealthy diet
Sleep apnea

What are the Treatment Options for Atherosclerosis?

Medications

Medication can slow or reverse the effects of atherosclerosis. Some medicines used to treat atherosclerosis include:

Statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs
Aspirin thins the blood and prevents blood clots, sometimes the primary prevention of heart attack or stroke in certain people
Blood pressure medications prevent or treat complications related to the disease, such as reducing the risk of a heart attack
Medications to control other health conditions that contribute to atherosclerosis, such as diabetes

Surgery or Other Procedures

You may need more aggressive treatment to treat atherosclerosis, such as if you have severe symptoms or a blockage. Surgery and other procedures intended to treat atherosclerosis include:

Angioplasty and stent placement to open a clogged or blocked artery
Endarterectomy to remove plaque from the walls of a narrowed artery
Fibrinolytic therapy uses a clot-dissolving drug if you have a clot in an artery that blocks blood flow
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is an open-heart surgery generally reserved for those with many narrowed heart arteries

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Lifestyle changes can help keep the arteries healthy while preventing or slowing atherosclerosis. The following tips can help keep your heart healthy:

Not smoking is one of the best ways to lower the risk of atherosclerosis complications, such as a heart attack
Regular exercise improves blood flow, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of conditions that increase the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease
Maintain a healthy weight, as losing even a small amount of weight can help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis
Eat a heart-healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Reduce or avoid sugar and sugar substitutes
Manage and reduce emotional stress to temporarily lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of developing atherosclerosis

Can you Cure Atherosclerosis?

Unfortunately, you cannot cure atherosclerosis; once you’re diagnosed, you must prevent progression and further complications. Eating a balanced diet and regularly exercising are essential to reducing high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Your doctor may also prescribe medications to increase your comfort, mainly if your symptoms include chest or leg pain.

Statins are the most effective and commonly used cholesterol-lowering medications because they block the protein in your liver used to make low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The lower your LDL, the more likely you can halt plaque buildup.

Why Choose Us for Atherosclerosis Treatment?

At Advanced Surgical Technology, we provide medical treatments for a wide range of vascular conditions and symptoms, such as atherosclerosis. Our board-certified general and vascular surgeon, Dr. Liyanage, has over two decades of experience treating vascular conditions with advanced surgical techniques. His clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for both diagnosis and treatment, making Advanced Surgical Technology the best choice for your atherosclerosis treatment.