What Is the Most Common Arteriosclerosis Treatment?

Arteriosclerosis is a non-inflammatory disease of the arteries, which can thicken and harden the arterial wall, lose elasticity, and narrow the lumen. Arteriosclerosis is a vascular disease that occurs with age. Its regularity usually occurs in adolescence, and it gets worse and develops in middle and old age. Aortic sclerosis is a common type of arteriosclerosis. There are three main types of arteriosclerosis: small arteriosclerosis; arteriosclerosis; atherosclerosis. The disease mainly affects the aorta, coronary arteries, cerebral arteries, and renal arteries, which can cause the lumen of the above arteries to become narrowed or even occluded, which can cause aortic dissection and abdominal aneurysms; cause blood supply disorders to the organs they supply, causing these organs Ischemic pathological changes occur.

Basic Information

English name

aortosclerosis

Visiting department

cardiology

Multiple groups

Middle-aged and elderly

Common locations

Aorta, coronary, cerebral, renal

Common causes

Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, etc.

Common symptoms

Most non-specific symptoms

Contagious

no

Causes of aortic sclerosis

The most important causes of aortic sclerosis are hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking. Others such as obesity, diabetes, lack of exercise, stress, old age, family history, and irritability can cause arteriosclerosis.

Clinical manifestations of aortic sclerosis

Most have no specific symptoms. At the time of percussion, the aortic dullness area behind the sternal stalk was widened; the second heart sound in the aortic valve area became hypertonic with metallic tones and systolic murmurs. The systolic blood pressure rises, the pulse pressure widens, and palpation of the radial artery can be similar to the propulsion. X-ray examination shows that the aortic node is protruding to the upper left, the aorta is dilated and distorted, and sometimes the calcium deposits in the plaque or arc-shaped plaque can be seen.

Lesions mostly occur in the posterior wall of the aorta and its branch openings. Abdominal aortic disease was the most severe, followed by descending aorta and aortic arch, and again ascending aorta. In severe cases, the plaque ruptures, forming an atheroma ulcer, and mural thrombus may form on the surface.

In some cases, the aortic aneurysm was formed due to atrophy of the medial SMC, rupture of the elastic plate, weakening of the local tube wall, and bulging of the tube wall under the effect of blood pressure. This aneurysm is mainly found in the abdominal aorta. Occasionally, aneurysms rupture and fatal massive bleeding occurs. Dissecting aneurysms can sometimes occur. In some cases, the aortic root endometrial disease is severe, involving the aortic valve, making the valve thicker, harder, and even calcified, forming aortic valve disease.

Aortic sclerosis

Blood vessels should be evaluated in terms of function and structure: function is the elasticity of the blood vessel; structure is the stenosis of the blood vessel. A current method for non-invasive examination of arteriosclerosis can measure two indicators simultaneously: ABI ankle brachial index and PWV pulse wave velocity.

Laboratory inspection

The disease lacks sensitive and specific early laboratory diagnostic methods. Patients often have abnormal lipid metabolism. The main manifestations are increased total blood cholesterol, increased LDL cholesterol, decreased HDL cholesterol, increased blood triglycerides, increased blood lipoproteins, increased apolipoprotein B, reduced apolipoprotein A, and lipoprotein (). Elevation increased, lipoprotein electrophoresis patterns were abnormal, and more than 90% of patients showed type II or IV hyperlipoproteinemia.

2. Hemorheology

Often shows increased blood viscosity. Platelet activity can be increased.

3.X-ray inspection

X-ray examination shows an increase in the corresponding site of the aorta; aortic angiography can show a spindle or sac-like aneurysm. Two-dimensional ultrasound imaging, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance tomography can show tumor-like aortic dilatation. Once an aortic aneurysm ruptures, it can be fatal quickly. Atherosclerosis can also form dissecting aneurysms, but it is rare.

4. Doppler ultrasound

5. Intravascular ultrasound and angioscopy

It is a method to observe atherosclerotic lesions directly from the arterial cavity.

6. Other

Echocardiography, ECG and stress test.

Aortic sclerosis diagnosis

The diagnosis can be made based on the etiology, clinical manifestations and imaging examination.

Differential diagnosis of aortic sclerosis

Aortic changes and aortic aneurysms caused by aortic atherosclerosis must be distinguished from syphilitic aorticitis and aortic aneurysms and mediastinal tumors.

Aortic sclerosis complications

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Mostly, a pulsatile mass was found in the abdomen during physical examination. Noise was heard in the corresponding part of the abdominal wall, and femoral artery pulsation could be weakened.

2. Thoracic aortic aneurysm

It can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty in swallowing, hemoptysis, paralysis of the vocal cords due to compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, displacement or obstruction of the trachea, compression of the superior vena cava, and pulmonary arteries.

Aortic sclerosis treatment

1. Dilate blood vessels and relieve vascular movement disorders

The drugs of choice are isosorbide mononitrate, nitrodipine sustained-release tablets, diltiazem and the like.

2. Regulate blood lipids

On the basis of a reasonable diet and proper exercise, lipid-lowering drugs can be used when blood lipids are still higher than normal.

(1) Fenofibrate, atorvastatin, and gefitrozil for reducing triglycerides .

(2) Cholesterol-lowering drugs include simvastatin, fluvastatin, and pravastatin.

3. Antiplatelet adhesion and aggregation drugs

Can prevent thrombosis, prevent the occurrence and development of vascular obstructive diseases. Commonly used drugs are: enteric-coated aspirin, ticlopidine and so on.

4. Thrombolytic drugs and anticoagulants

For intraarterial thrombosis caused by stenosis or obstruction of the lumen, thrombolytic drugs and anticoagulants can be used, such as urokinase, recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, heparin, and the like.

In addition to the above treatments for arteriosclerosis, interventional treatment can also be used, including recanalization of coronary or renal arteries, limb arteries, and other surgical procedures such as recanalization or bypass grafting to restore arteries Blood supply.

Aortic sclerosis prevention

The first step is to actively prevent atherosclerosis (primary prevention). If it has occurred, it should be actively treated to prevent the development of the lesion and fight for its reversal (secondary prevention). If complications have occurred, they should be treated in time to prevent their worsening and prolong the life of the patients (tertiary prevention).

1. Use the patient's subjective initiative to cooperate with the treatment

The disease can be controlled through prevention and treatment, and the lesion may partially subside. The patient can maintain a certain ability to live and work. The disease itself can promote the formation of collateral circulation of the artery and improve the condition. It is therefore important to persuade patients to patiently accept long-term prevention and treatment measures.

2. Reasonable meal

People over 40 years of age should avoid excessive consumption of animal fats and vegetable oils containing saturated fatty acids, such as fatty meat, lard, bone marrow, cream and its products, coconut oil, cocoa butter, etc. Eat more foods with higher cholesterol, such as liver, brain, kidney, lung and other internal organs, squid, cuttlefish, caviar, shrimp, crab yolk, egg yolk and so on. If blood lipids continue to increase, you should consume low cholesterol and low animal fat foods, such as: a variety of lean meat, chicken, duck, fish, protein, soy products and so on.

3. Appropriate physical work and physical activity

Participating in certain physical labor and sports activities is beneficial to preventing obesity, exercising the function of the circulatory system, and adjusting blood lipid metabolism. It is a positive measure to prevent the disease. Physical activity should be regulated according to the original physical condition, the original physical activity habits and the state of heart function, and the principle is not to increase the heart burden too much and not cause discomfort. Physical activities can be carried out step by step. It is not advisable to make strenuous activities, promote walking for the elderly, do health gymnastics, and play Tai Chi.

4. Reasonably arrange work and life

Have a regular life, maintain an optimistic and happy mood, avoid overwork and emotional excitement, pay attention to the combination of work and rest, and ensure adequate sleep.

5. Quit smoking and limit alcohol

Promote non-smoking, do not drink hard alcohol or drink a lot (drinking a small amount of low-concentration alcohol can increase blood HDL).

6. Actively treat diseases related to this disease

Such as hypertension, fat disease, hyperlipidemia, gout, diabetes, liver disease, nephrotic syndrome and related endocrine diseases.