How Is Atherosclerosis Treated?
Treatments for atherosclerosis may include lifestyle
changes, medicines, and medical procedures or surgery.
Goals of Treatment
The goals of treatment are to:
- Relieve symptoms
- Reduce risk factors in an effort to slow, stop,
or reverse the buildup of plaque
- Lower the risk of blood clots forming
- Widen or bypass clogged arteries
- Prevent diseases related to atherosclerosis
Lifestyle Changes
Making lifestyle changes can often help prevent or
treat atherosclerosis. For some people, these changes may be the only treatment
needed.
- Follow a healthy eating plan to prevent or reduce
high
blood pressure and
high
blood cholesterol and to maintain a healthy weight.
- Increase your physical activity. Check with your
doctor first to find out how much and what kinds of activity are safe for you.
- Lose weight, if you're overweight or obese.
- Quit smoking, if you smoke. Avoid exposure to
secondhand smoke.
- Reduce stress.
Follow a Healthy Eating Plan
For a healthy eating plan, go to the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBIs)
Aim
for a Healthy Weight Web site. This site provides practical tips on healthy
eating, physical activity, and controlling your weight.
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes
(TLC). Your doctor may recommend TLC if you have high cholesterol. TLC
is a three-part program that includes a healthy diet, physical activity, and
weight management.
With the TLC diet, less than 7 percent of your daily
calories should come from saturated fat. This kind of fat is mainly found in
meat and poultry, including dairy products. No more than 25 to 35 percent of
your daily calories should come from all fats, including saturated,
trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.
You also should have less than 200 mg a day of
cholesterol. The amounts of cholesterol and the different kinds of fat in
prepared foods can be found on the Nutrition Facts label.
Foods high in soluble fiber also are part of a
healthy eating plan. They help block the digestive track from absorbing
cholesterol. These foods include:
- Whole grain cereals such as oatmeal and oat bran
- Fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears,
and prunes
- Legumes such as kidney beans, lentils, chick
peas, black-eyed peas, and lima beans
A diet high in fruits and vegetables can increase
important cholesterol-lowering compounds in your diet. These compounds, called
plant stanols or sterols, work like soluble fiber.
Fish are an important part of a heart healthy diet.
They're a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help protect the heart
from blood clots and inflammation and reduce the risk for
heart
attack. Try to have about two fish meals every week. Fish high in omega-3
fats are salmon, tuna (canned or fresh), and mackerel.
You also should try to limit the amount of sodium
(salt) that you eat. This means choosing low-sodium and low-salt foods and "no
added salt" foods and seasonings at the table or when cooking. The Nutrition
Facts label on food packaging shows the amount of sodium in the item.
Try to limit drinks with alcohol. Too much alcohol
will raise your blood pressure and triglyceride level. (Triglycerides are a
type of fat found in the blood.) Alcohol also adds extra calories, which will
cause weight gain. Men should have no more than two drinks containing alcohol a
day. Women should have no more than one drink containing alcohol a day.
See the NHLBIs
"Your
Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol With TLC" for more information.
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
(DASH) eating plan. Your doctor may recommend the DASH eating plan if
you have high blood pressure. The DASH eating plan focuses on fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and lower in
salt/sodium.
This eating plan is low in fat and cholesterol. It
also focuses on fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products, fish, poultry, and
nuts. The DASH eating plan is reduced in red meats (including lean red meat),
sweets, added sugars, and sugar-containing beverages. It's rich in nutrients,
protein, and fiber.
The DASH eating plan is a good heart healthy eating
plan, even for those who dont have high blood pressure. See the
NHLBIs
"Your
Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH" for more information.
Increase Physical Activity
Regular physical activity can lower many
atherosclerosis risk factors, including LDL ("bad") cholesterol, high blood
pressure, and excess weight. Physical activity also can lower your risk for
diabetes and raise your levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good"
cholesterol that helps prevent atherosclerosis).
Check with your doctor about how much and what kinds
of physical activity are safe for you. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise,
try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most or all
days of the week. You can do the activity all at once or break it up into
shorter periods of at least 10 minutes each.
Moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking,
dancing, bowling, bicycling, gardening, and housecleaning.
More intense activities, such as jogging, swimming,
and various sports, also may be appropriate for shorter periods. See the
NHLBIs
"Your
Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart" for more information.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight can decrease your risk
factors for atherosclerosis. A general goal to aim for is a body mass index
(BMI) of less than 25.
BMI measures your weight in relation to your height
and gives an estimate of your total body fat. You can calculate your BMI using
the NHLBI's online calculator,
or your health care provider can calculate your BMI.
A BMI between 25 and 29 is considered overweight. A
BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. A BMI of less than 25 is the goal for
preventing and treating atherosclerosis. Your doctor or other health care
provider can help you determine an appropriate goal for you.
For more information on losing weight and
maintaining your weight, see the Diseases and Conditions Index
Overweight
and Obesity article.
Quit Smoking
If you smoke or use tobacco, quit. Smoking can
damage and tighten blood vessels and raise your risk for atherosclerosis.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has
information on how to
quit smoking.
Reduce Stress
Research shows that the most commonly reported
"trigger" for a heart attack is an emotionally upsetting
eventparticularly one involving anger. Also, some of the ways people cope
with stress, such as drinking, smoking, or overeating, aren't heart healthy.
Physical activity can help relieve stress and reduce
other atherosclerosis risk factors. Many people also find that meditation or
relaxation therapy helps them reduce stress.
Medicines
To help slow or reverse atherosclerosis, your doctor
may prescribe medicines to help lower your cholesterol or blood pressure or
prevent blood clots from forming.
For successful treatment, take all medicines as your
doctor prescribes.
Medical Procedures and Surgery
If you have severe atherosclerosis, your doctor may
recommend one of several procedures or surgeries.
Angioplasty
is a procedure to open blocked or narrowed coronary (heart) arteries.
Angioplasty can improve blood flow to the heart, relieve chest pain, and
possibly prevent a heart attack. Sometimes a small mesh tube called a
stent
is placed in the artery to keep it open after the procedure.
Coronary
artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgery. In CABG, arteries or
veins from other areas in your body are used to bypass (that is, go around)
your narrowed coronary arteries. CABG can improve blood flow to your heart,
relieve chest pain, and possibly prevent a heart attack.
Bypass grafting also can be used for leg arteries.
In this surgery, a healthy blood vessel is used to bypass a narrowed or blocked
blood vessel in one of your legs. The healthy blood vessel redirects blood
around the artery, improving blood flow to the leg.
Carotid artery surgery removes plaque buildup from
the carotid arteries in the neck. This opens the arteries and improves blood
flow to the brain. Carotid artery surgery can help prevent a
stroke. |