How is arteriosclerosis treated?

Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
Updated on September 18, 2024
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The treatment of arteriosclerosis includes general preventive measures, pharmacological treatment interventions, and surgical interventions. General protective measures include reasonable dietary practices, appropriate physical exercise, proper arrangement of work and life, maintaining a pleasant mood, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and controlling some disease-related risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, etc. The main pharmacological treatment focuses on lipid-lowering and antiplatelet medication. For some patients with symptoms of angina pectoris, such as symptoms of target organ damage, treatment may involve dilating the blood vessels. Interventional treatment indications are now relatively broad. For some who are not suitable for interventional procedures, surgical treatments can be considered.

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Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
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Treatment of Arteriosclerosis

The treatment of arteriosclerosis includes general preventative measures, pharmacological treatment, interventional procedures, and surgical operations. General precautions involve a balanced diet, with some patients needing to lose weight, increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, and adopting a low-fat diet. Additionally, it is advised that patients engage in appropriate physical labor and sports activities, while also maintaining an optimistic and calm mindset. Pharmacological treatment is quite specialized, mainly including lipid-lowering and antiplatelet therapies. Then, there are cases with clear symptoms, such as renal artery stenosis or coronary artery narrowing, where interventional treatments can be considered. For those unsuitable for interventional procedures, surgical treatments, such as bypass surgery, might be considered.

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Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
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How long can one live with arteriosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis has a certain impact on survival and longevity, but it is not an absolute determinant. People with mild arteriosclerosis have fewer sudden incidents of cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction, thus they may have a longer survival period. However, if arteriosclerosis leads to myocardial infarction or cerebral infarction, it will also affect their lifespan, but there is no absolute conclusion.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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The difference between arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is the most common and most important among a group of vascular diseases called arteriosclerosis. The common characteristics of various arteriosclerosis include thickening, hardening, loss of elasticity, and narrowing of the arterial walls. The characteristic of arteriosclerosis is that the affected arterial lesions start from the intima, with various lesions coexisting, including local accumulation of papyraceous and complex carbohydrates, proliferation of fibrous tissue, and formation of plaques due to calcification, along with gradual degradation of the arterial media. Secondary lesions include intraplaque hemorrhage, plaque rupture, and local thrombosis formation. Modern cellular and molecular biology techniques show that arteriosclerotic lesions are characterized by migration of macrophages, proliferation of smooth muscle cells, and abundant formation of fibrous, collagen, elastic fibers, and proteoglycans as connective tissue matrices, as well as intra- and extracellular lipid accumulation. Because the lipid accumulation in the intima appears yellow and mushy, it is called arteriosclerosis. Although arteriosclerosis is only one type of arteriosclerosis, it is commonly referred to simply as arteriosclerosis due to its frequent occurrence and significant clinical relevance.

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Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
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What medicine is used for arteriosclerosis?

Commonly, some medications used to adjust blood lipids are employed, primarily to lower low-density lipoprotein levels, and some are also aimed at achieving target levels for triglycerides. These include statins, fibrates, and niacin. For some patients, antiplatelet drugs might be necessary to prevent acute thrombus formation and avoid acute incidents. For those who have already formed a thrombus, thrombolytic drugs can be used within a certain time window for some patients. For patients with coronary artery accumulation leading to angina, vasodilators, receptor blockers, or calcium channel antagonists might be used to alleviate the symptoms of angina.

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Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
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The earliest lesions of arteriosclerosis

The earliest lesion of atherosclerosis is the formation of lipid spots and streaks. The so-called lipid spots are small yellow dots that appear on the arterial intima. Under pathological observation, these are small areas of macrophages containing lipid droplets, forming a cluster of foam cells. As this small yellow dot develops, it gradually turns into a yellow streak made up of layers of macrophages containing lipids. The intima also comprises smooth muscle cells and lipids, as well as an infiltration of T cells, resembling a yellow streak on the intima.