“My mother has been diagnosed with atherosclerosis. What does treatment involve?”
My mother is 72 years old and has been diagnosed with atherosclerosis. What would be the course of treatment for her condition? What are the risks involved in the case she needs vascular surgery?
11 Answers
There are many different treatment options for atherosclerosis which is a systemic disease process that can affect all different arterial beds. The treatment options vary widely depending on where your disease is and what your symptoms are.
Should undergo a comprehensive risk evaluation by the primary care PHYSICIAN and then mitigating them.
The diagnosis of atherosclerosis does not necessarily require treatment. However, anybody with this should be on an anti-platelet agent such as baby aspirin every day unless otherwise contraindicated. Generally speaking, the treatment for atherosclerosis is actually dependent upon what symptoms it is causing.
Your mother should see a board certified vascular surgeon who can go over her treatment options, usually starting with cessation of smoking, exercise programs, and medication.
Treatment is first medical and involves controlling the conditions that cause atherosclerosis. Smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, all have to be controlled. If she needs surgery for any reason, the risks depend on the procedure, and those risks need to be assessed by the surgeon performing the procedure.
Control of hypertension, diabetes, lowering cholesterol and exercises
Needs to be evaluated
Treatment of atherosclerosis is multifaceted and includes medication therapy, such as cholesterol lowering agents, high blood pressure medications and anticoagulants, lifestyle modification such as exercise programs, avoidance of smoking and diet restrictions. Sometimes, if symptoms are severe, then invasive procedures are required such as angiograms or surgery.
Medication is used to treat high cholesterol, which is the biggest part of atherosclerosis. Surgery is isually indicated for symptomatic atherosclerosis. See a vascular surgeon.
It definitely depends on her symptoms. Risk factor modification is the first line of therapy (smoking cessation, diabetes management, blood pressure, and cholesterol control). Surgical/endovascular treatment is recommended for moderate-severe (symptomatic) disease in patients that are not at too a high risk for treatment. Risks vary for differing procedures and depend on individual anatomy/risk factors.
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For atherosclerosis, the treatment depends upon the severity of symptoms. Optimizing the medical management is the first part and then, depending on the symptoms and area involved, it could be nedovascular or open procedures. Most vascular procedures these days are endovascular and the recovery time is very short and these procedures are very safe.
