How to treat a single plaque formation in the right carotid artery
Disease description:
My brother was recently diagnosed with a plaque in the right carotid artery. I would like to ask, what is the best treatment option?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
For isolated plaque formation in the right carotid artery, treatment should be comprehensively determined based on the size, location, stability of the plaque, and the patient's overall health condition. Below are some treatment recommendations:
1. Medication therapy: Use medications to control underlying conditions such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, in order to reduce the risk of plaque progression. Commonly used medications include antihypertensive drugs, statins for lipid-lowering, and antiplatelet agents, primarily aimed at stabilizing the plaque and preventing thrombus formation.
2. Interventional therapy: For patients with large plaques or a high risk of embolization, interventional treatments such as balloon angioplasty may be considered to restore normal blood flow.
3. Surgical treatment: When the plaque causes more than 70% stenosis of the vessel lumen or the patient develops clinical symptoms, surgical treatment should be considered. Surgical options include carotid endarterectomy and stent placement.
4. Lifestyle modifications: Regardless of the treatment approach, patients must also adopt dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments, such as smoking cessation, alcohol avoidance, a light diet, and appropriate physical activity.
