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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
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.