How is carotid or intracranial artery plaque stenosis treated?

  There are four methods of treatment, including: 1, a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet, appropriate activities) 2, medication 3, interventional treatment 4, surgical open treatment The most important and most achievable is a healthy lifestyle, no matter how severe the stenosis, or after intervention or open surgery, a healthy lifestyle is a must, the main thing in a healthy lifestyle is a reasonable and balanced nutrition (avoid excessive fats, limit salt), appropriate physical exercise, quit smoking, do not abuse alcohol, and strictly control hypertension and hyperglycemia. Otherwise, plaque stenosis is likely to keep getting worse, and even after stenting or surgery, it is more likely to be restenosed.  For patients with plaque and less than 50% stenosis, they should be treated with medication. The main medication at present is aspirin (100-300mg/day, taken after meals, in western developed countries, many elderly people take this medication for life), and for patients who have had a stroke, they should also take a combination of Polivic or Tega for three months early after the stroke (clopidogrel. The trade name is Bolivar or Tegar). For patients with arterial stenosis, especially those with hyperlipidemia, statins (there are several, such as atorvastatin and rasulvastatin) are beneficial in regulating lipids and stabilizing or even reducing plaque.  Patients who have experienced stroke symptoms (including hemiparesis, hemiplegia, hemianopia, black eye [black haze], inability to speak, facial palsy, slurred speech, unsteady walking, easy to fall on walking, vertigo, dizziness, etc.) with stenosis of more than 50%, or patients who have not experienced symptoms but have stenosis of more than 70%, should go to a hospital with extensive experience for interventional stenting or endothelial stripping surgery. Patients with severe intracranial stenosis that has failed after regular drug therapy should be considered for interventional stent implantation.