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What Are the Treatments for Plaque of Abdominal Aorta?
Treatments for plaque of abdominal aorta range from natural methods such as making positive lifestyle changes to undergoing surgery. Treatment depends upon your individual situation and the severity of your plaque formation. In medical terms, plaque formation is known as atherosclerosis. According to the American Heart Association, atherosclerosis occurs when deposits such as cholesterol build up in the aorta wall's lining 2. Unhealthy habits can contribute to onset of this slow, complex disease.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Exercise more. AHA recommends 30 minutes of moderately brisk physical activity at least five times per week. Examples of moderately brisk exercise include:
- walking
- bicycling
- lawn mowing
- rowing
- dancing,
- gardening
This is the level needed to receive cardiovascular benefits, such as reduced plaque formation.
Medications
What Is a Normal LDL Range?
Learn More
As might be expected, cholesterol lowering medications, such as:
- statins
- fibrates
- can help lower harmful cholesterol levels
- which are known to lead to plaque formation
Actively pursue lowering your LDL, which can slow, prevent or reverse plaque buildup in your abdominal aorta artery (as well as other arteries), according to AHA.
Surgery
Depending upon the severity of the plaque of your abdominal aorta, different surgical options may be recommended.
The abdominal aortic surgery involves inserting a catheter (long, thin tube) into the narrow part of your abdominal aorta. The balloon is inflated, which results in the plaque being compressed against your artery walls. The artery is kept open by keeping the tube in the artery.
Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This surgery involves making an incision in your groin area and inserting a stent-graft via your femoral artery. The aneurysm is repaired or removed.
- Depending upon the severity of the plaque of your abdominal aorta, different surgical options may be recommended.
- This surgery involves making an incision in your groin area and inserting a stent-graft via your femoral artery.
Related Articles
References
- Saint Joseph's Info on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- American Heart Association: Atherosclerosis
- Mayo Clinic: Trans fats
- O’Gara Patrick T. Aortic Aneurysm. Circulation. 2003;107(6):e43-e45. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000054210.62588.ED
- Deepthinath R, Satheesha Nayak B, Mehta RB, et al. Multiple variations in the paired arteries of the abdominal aorta. Clin Anat. 2006;19(6):566-568. doi:10.1002/ca.20207
- Guirguis-Blake JM, Beil TL, Sun X, Senger CA, Whitlock EP. Primary Care Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: An Evidence Update for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Evidence Synthesis No. 109. AHRQ Publication No. 14-05202-EF-1. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2014.
- Shaw PM, Loree J, Gibbons RC. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA). In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019.
- Forsythe RO, Newby DE, Robson JMJ. Monitoring the biological activity of abdominal aortic aneurysms Beyond Ultrasound. Heart. 2016;102(11):817-824. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308779
- Kimura-Hayama ET, Meléndez G, Mendizábal AL, Meave-González A, Zambrana GFB, Corona-Villalobos CP. Uncommon congenital and acquired aortic diseases: role of multidetector CT angiography. Radiographics. 2010;30(1):79-98. doi:10.1148/rg.301095061
- Kuivaniemi H, Ryer EJ, Elmore JR, Tromp G. Understanding the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2015;13(9):975-987. doi:10.1586/14779072.2015.1074861
- Tang ELS, Chong CS, Narayanan S. Isolated abdominal aortic dissection. BMJ Case Rep. 2014;2014. doi:10.1136/bcr-2013-203097
Writer Bio
Crystal Welch has a 30-year writing history. Her more than 2,000 published works have been included in the health and fitness-related Wellness Directory, Earthdance Press and Higher Source. She is an award-winning writer who teaches whole foods cooking and has written a cookbook series. She operates an HON-code-certified health-related blog with more than 95,000 readers. Welch has a B.B.A. from Eastern Michigan University.