Stress Management

 Arteriosclerosis And Atherosclerosis

Conventional Treatments for Atherosclerosis

The following are the general recommendations for treating atherosclerosis:

• Reduce the risk factors for atherosclerosis by making changes in lifestyle such as giving up smoking (the most important), losing weight, taking regular exercise, drinking alcohol only in moderation, reducing saturated fats in the diet and increasing the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables and complex carbohydrates.

• Drug treatment for high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol where dietary treatment has failed.

• Low-dose aspirin to discourage blood clots and reduce risk for strokes and heart attacks.

• When these steps fail, surgery such as balloon angioplasty (where a tube is passed down an artery under X-ray guidance and a balloon is blown up to widen a narrowed area) or bypass grafting may be suggested.

Next Topic: