What tests are used for arteriosclerosis?

Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
Updated on September 03, 2024
00:00
00:00

If arteriosclerosis is in the early stages, we need to understand the situation with lipids and blood sugar, so lipid and blood glucose tests should be done. Later on, when some atheromatous plaques appear, examinations such as color Doppler ultrasound and cardiac echocardiography can be done to assess blood flow and the degree of narrowing in the vessels. For some severe narrowings, consider conducting a CTA, MRI, or angiography, which can non-invasively understand the lesions of arteriosclerosis. For some patients, if there is a need for interventional treatment, invasive, selective arterial angiography can be performed to understand the condition of the lesions. Therefore, different tests can be chosen at different stages.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
43sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
48sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
52sec home-news-image

Can arteriosclerosis be treated with moxibustion?

Arteriosclerosis can be treated with moxibustion. Moxibustion is a traditional disease treatment method in Chinese medicine, which can treat many diseases clinically. For patients with arteriosclerosis, moxibustion therapy can improve some clinical symptoms caused by arteriosclerosis. However, one should not rely solely on moxibustion for the treatment of atherosclerosis, as the mechanism of atherosclerosis is due to the disorder of lipid metabolism and the hardening of arterial walls caused by increased blood lipids. Treatment should include medication and dietary adjustments such as low-salt, low-sugar, and low-fat diets, and avoiding fatty meats, animal offal, and seafood high in cholesterol.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
49sec home-news-image

What foods to eat for arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis has become increasingly prevalent as living standards improve. This is directly related to unreasonable adjustments in dietary structure. People in this demographic should focus on a diet low in fats, sugars, and oils, and consume more vegetables and fruits as well as foods high in dietary fiber. Suitable fruits and vegetables include apples, oranges, tomatoes, kelp, kiwis, grapefruits, seaweed, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, onions, and peas. These foods contain high levels of vitamins, trace elements, and dietary fiber, which can purify the blood and help reduce high cholesterol and alleviate the progression of arteriosclerosis.