Can atherosclerosis be cured?

Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
Updated on February 10, 2025
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Atherosclerosis is a very common disease in daily life. Many patients, after being diagnosed with atherosclerosis, often ask doctors "Can my atherosclerosis be cured?" The answer is no, as atherosclerosis cannot be completely cured.

However, this does not mean that atherosclerosis is untreatable. From a medical perspective, controlling blood pressure, lipids, and blood sugar, maintaining good lifestyle habits, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, controlling weight, and following a doctor's guidance to properly take medications can effectively control the onset and progression of atherosclerosis.

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Can people with arteriosclerosis drink alcohol?

Arteriosclerosis is a very common disease in daily life. After being diagnosed with arteriosclerosis, many patients often feel worried or anxious, and frequently ask their doctor if they can drink alcohol. The answer is yes, patients with arteriosclerosis can drink a moderate amount of alcohol, but should not drink excessively. As the saying goes, good liquor, when consumed properly, can be beneficial to health. Drinking in moderation can have certain health benefits. In addition, while drinking in moderation, it is also important to maintain good living habits, exercise regularly, quit smoking, and control weight to prevent the occurrence and progression of arteriosclerosis. (This should be done under the guidance of a doctor.)

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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.

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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 Tang Li
Cardiology
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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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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.