Treatment of carotid plaque

  The main drugs used to treat carotid plaque are aspirin, clopidogrel and statins, which need to be taken orally for a long time. Interventional or surgical treatment is required if there is severe stenosis of the blood vessels. The formation of carotid plaque is mainly related to advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, long-term smoking and drinking, so the treatment should control these risk factors, lower blood pressure, lower lipid, lower sugar, quit smoking, quit drinking and moderate exercise.  1.Medication: Anti-platelet drugs, such as aspirin or clopidogrel, can be chosen to prevent cardiovascular disease. Drugs that control and slow down the progression of carotid plaque, such as statin lipid-lowering drugs, can also be used.  2. Stenosis: If severe carotid stenosis is found, carotid endarterectomy or stenting is performed. However, those with severe stenosis account for a very small number of cases, more often atherosclerotic plaques are found, at this time it may be more important to correct those unhealthy lifestyles and treat the risk factors of the corresponding diseases.  3, actively control risk factors: hypertensive patients should control blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg; diabetic patients should control blood sugar in the normal range; use lipid-lowering drugs according to individual conditions to lower blood lipids to normal levels, etc.  4, change unhealthy lifestyle: quit smoking, control alcohol consumption. Eat more fruits, cereals and legumes, reduce the intake of fatty foods such as eggs and fatty meat as much as possible, and consume less than 5 grams of salt per day, especially for hypertensive patients who currently advocate less than 2 or 3 grams of salt per day. Increase physical activity to reduce or control weight.  Patients with carotid artery plaque and stenosis should have regular review of carotid ultrasound and transcranial Doppler ultrasound. Regular checkups can observe the size and nature of plaque and adjust medications to control the development of the disease.