Medications to treat atherosclerosis

Definition

Atherosclerosis is the final result of the progressive thickening of the arteries, responsible for slowing blood flow in the various anatomical sites; we are talking about a complex inflammatory disease with a chronic course, in which there is the formation of lipid plaques (atheromas) inside the arteries of medium and large caliber.

Causes

The precise cause triggering atherosclerosis is not known, although many risk factors have been identified: advanced age, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity / overweight, genetic predisposition, sedentary lifestyle, male sex, smoking.

Symptoms

Atherosclerosis proceeds slowly; mild forms can advance without causing any symptoms. In general, the affected patient does not complain of any symptoms until the narrowing of the artery is so important as to prevent the physiological flow of blood into the anatomical sites. The most common symptoms are: aphasia, intermittent claudication, mental confusion, cramps, weakness, erectile dysfunction, chest pain, tingling, headache, partial paralysis, vertigo

Atherosclerotic plaque formation can completely block blood flow, or break the artery and trigger a heart attack or stroke

Diet and Nutrition

Supplements

Information on Atherosclerosis - Drugs for the Treatment of Atherosclerosis is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Atherosclerosis - Drugs for the Treatment of Atherosclerosis.

drugs

Although atherosclerosis is an avoidable disease, at the same time it can be extremely dangerous, given the risk of the disease developing into heart attacks and strokes. Prevention is the best cure: we have seen that obesity is one of the predisposing factors for atherosclerosis, therefore, it is recommended to follow a low-calorie diet, reduce weight and practice constant exercise.

For the same reason, patients suffering from atherosclerosis or in any case at risk should stop smoking; hypertensives should constantly monitor the values of blood pressure, to avoid very high peaks which, as analyzed, may predispose the subject to atherosclerosis and its complications. Similar discourse for patients suffering from high cholesterol: it is recommended to undergo regular blood tests and to follow a hypocaloric diet low in lipids, to guarantee the body a correct level of cholesterol in the blood.

According to this, it is clear that an intervention on risk factors and behavioral habits can often block the cascade of events that would inevitably lead to the formation of atheromas.

Atherosclerosis is today a treatable disease: compliance with certain behavioral rules, the prevention of risk factors and, possibly, the administration of specific drugs can not only block the degeneration of the disease but also and above all promote its regression.

Drugs for the treatment of high cholesterol : it seems to be the most important therapy for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis: the reduction of cholesterol levels reduces the risk of atherosclerotic plaque formation.

Fibrates and statins are the drugs of choice for the treatment of high cholesterol, also in the context or in the prevention of atherosclerosis; just as useful is niacin and the administration of selective inhibitors of intestinal cholesterol absorption, which excellently exert their own pool-lowering activity, reducing the risk of atherosclerotic plaque formation. The following are the drugs most used in therapy for this purpose:

Gemfibrozil (eg Lopid, Genlip, Gemfibrozil DOC): the drug belongs to the class of fibrates. For the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, the normally recommended posology is 600 mg of active, to be taken orally, twice a day, preferably 30 minutes before breakfast and dinner.
Simvastatin (eg. Zocor, Simvastat, Omistat, Quibus, Setorilin). The drug belongs to the class of statins. It is recommended to start the treatment with a dose of drug ranging from 10 to 20 mg, to be taken orally, once a day. The maintenance dose is expected to take 5-40 mg of active per day (once a day, in the evening). Sometimes Simvastatin is formulated with other active ingredients, such as Sitagliptin (eg Juvisync, Januvia, Xelevia) - useful for combating diabetes in the context of hypercholesterolemia - and the cholesterol-lowering drug ezetimibe (eg Vytorin, Zetia).
Colesevelam (eg. Cholestagel): the drug is a bile acid sequestering resin, indicated for the treatment of high cholesterol. It is recommended to take 4-6 tablets (625 mg) per day, preferably in conjunction with meals. If necessary, take the drug in divided doses during the 24 hours. Colesevelam is also available in association with statins.

Antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants : indicated to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and thrombi inside the vessels: the platelets, in aggregating, can in fact create a blood clot and block the blood flow.

Acetylsalicylic acid (eg. Asprina, Cardioaspirin, Aspirinetta): indicatively, take one tablet of 100 mg of active ingredient a day, with plenty of water, after meals. Low-dose aspirin therapy reduces the risk of atherosclerosis (for prevention) and of degeneration of the disease (when it is in progress). However, the dosage must be perfected by the doctor based on the severity of the condition.
Clopidogrel (Plavix, Zyllt, Zylagren, Zopya, Iscover, Grepid, Clopidogrel Winthrop, Clopidogrel Acino): the drug is a platelet antiplatelet used in therapy for atherosclerosis. The antiplatelet activity of clopidogrel is useful to prevent the formation of blood clots (blood clots) in the patient's arteries at risk or suffering from atherosclerosis. The drug is an alternative to acetylsalicylic acid. The dosage and method of administration of the drug must be established by the doctor on the basis of the severity of the disease and the response to treatment.
Warfarin (eg. Coumadin): the therapeutic utility of this drug is comparable to that of clopidogrel. For the dosage: consult a doctor.

Nature also offers numerous drugs with platelet antiaggregating activity: garlic, ginkgo biloba, blueberry, nutmeg.

Furthermore, it seems that the extract of these drugs also has hypofibrinogenic properties, that is useful for the prevention of thrombi.

Antihypertensive drugs: the administration of these drugs in the context of atherosclerosis is useful to prevent complications of the disease. Furthermore, it seems that the control of blood pressure is a preventive practice of atherosclerosis, especially in women. The most widely used drugs in therapy are: beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers; below, some examples:

Acebutolol hydrochloride (eg Prent, Sectral): the drug belongs to the class of blocked beta. For the treatment of arterial hypertension in the prevention of atherosclerosis, take 1 tablet of 200 mg of drug, preferably before breakfast. It is possible to gradually increase the dosage up to a maximum of 400 mg per day.
Enalapril Maleato (Ex. Converten): for the treatment of hypertension, this drug (ACE inhibitor) is often used in combination with other antihypertensive drugs (eg. Hydrochlorothiazide: Rasitrio, Esidrex); for this purpose, it is recommended to take the drug at a dosage of 5-20 mg, formulated in tablets. However, it is the duty of the physician to establish the most suitable posology for the patient.
Furosemide (eg Lasix, Spirofur, Fluss): the drug belongs to the class of loop diuretics, and is also prescribed for the treatment of hypertension in the prevention of atherosclerosis: it is recommended to take 1-3 tablets of 25 mg per say, based on the severity of the condition.
Nitrendipine (eg. Baypress): a calcium channel blocker, particularly indicated to treat high blood pressure, also to prevent atherosclerosis. It is recommended to start the treatment with 20 mg of drug a day, in the morning after breakfast; it is also possible to take half a tablet twice a day.

Drugs for the treatment of diabetes : as analyzed, even hyperglycemia can predispose the patient to the development of atherosclerosis. Once again the importance of prevention in a similar pathology is underlined: following a therapy aimed at treating diabetes is important to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and to avoid complications in the event of an established diagnosis.

The most indicated drugs are oral hypoglycemic agents: sulfonylureas, biguanides and glitazones; below are some examples:

Metformin (eg Metforal, Glucophage, Eucreas, Efficib, Avandamet, Glibomet): the drug belongs to the class of biguanides which, as we know, are the most indicated drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in obese patients at risk of atherosclerosis . Generally, it is recommended to start therapy with a 500 mg tablet, to be taken orally 2-3 times a day, during or after main meals, without exceeding 3 g per day. There are also 850 mg and 1 g tablets available. Consult your doctor. The drug is also available in a formulation with other active ingredients, such as Vildagliptin (eg Galvus) and sitagliptin (dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitors), Rosiglitazone (PPAR gamma receptor activator: eg Avandia, Avandamet) and Glibenclamide (inhibits the canal at potassium).
Glibenclamide (eg. Daonil, Euglucon): the drug belongs to the class of sulfonylureas, indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. At the beginning of antidiabetic therapy, it is recommended to take half a tablet of 5 mg (corresponding to 2.5 mg), before the main meal, with a large glass of water. It is possible to gradually increase the dose; do not exceed 2-3 tablets per day (10-15 mg).
Pioglitazone (eg Actos, Glustin): belonging to the class of glitazones, it is recommended to start therapy by taking small doses of the drug (half a tablet, equivalent to 15 mg) or one whole tablet a day, all at once, with or without food. Consult your doctor.

The latest drugs for diabetes care are Exenatide and Sitagliptin.

Food therapy for the prevention of atherosclerosis:

It seems that even a particular diet, centered on the intake of some foods rather than others, can prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques: a diet rich in OMEGA 3 seems in fact to remove cardiovascular diseases in patients at risk: in fact, these substances ( of which the fish, the seeds and the linseed oil are rich of it) contribute to reduce the plasma levels of triglycerides (antithrombotic activity). But that's not all: thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties, omega 3s are useful to prevent the breakage of pre-existing atherosclerotic plaques. For the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, especially in patients with a history of heart attack, it is recommended to take 1 gram of omega 3 a day (eg Seacor, Eskim, Esapent).

If the drug therapy is not sufficient for the remission of symptoms or to reverse the pathology, it is probably necessary to subject the patient to one or more of the following surgical procedures:

Endarterectomy: consists in the surgical removal of fat deposits from the artery walls
Thrombolytic therapy
Insertion of an aortic bypass
Angioplasty: indicated to eliminate or in any case reduce the narrowing created inside the arteries, typical signs of atherosclerosis.