Found carotid plaque, not far from cerebral infarction? Insist on doing 4 points, the plaque may become smaller

Mr. Chen and Mr. Lin work in the same company. During a physical examination organized by the company, they were found to have carotid plaques at the same time. Mr. Chen had mild stenosis and Mr. Lin had moderate stenosis. This situation is very common, so don't worry too much, so neither of them is treated .

In the next three years, the two should smoke, drink, and drink, and they did not think about taking medicine to control them. This time, the god of luck did not care for them. They both paid the price for it in the same year: Mr. Chen was rescued Leaving the sequelae of paralysis, and Mr. Lin lost his life directly due to a sudden cerebral infarction.

There are actually many similar tragedies, but there may be many people who do not realize the harm of carotid plaque.

According to a study published in The Lancet, in 2020, about 2 billion people have carotid atherosclerosis, and China accounts for 270 million, of which carotid plaque accounts for 200 million .

According to the "Beijing 2020 Annual Physical Examination Statistical Report" released in December last year, it also sounded a wake-up call for us. The survey counted about 3.53 million people's health examinations and found that among the abnormal signs in men, the carotid artery The detection rate of plaque is in the top 10. The detection rate of people over 40 years old in China is 40%, and basically no one over 60 years old is spared .

It can be seen that carotid artery plaques are indeed very common. If carotid artery plaques are found in a physical examination, how much threat does it pose to human health?

1. What is the "silent killer" carotid plaque?

In fact, many people do not know about carotid plaque, so it is difficult to pay attention to it.

Then touch the front of your neck, the two large blood vessels on both sides of the trachea, which are the carotid arteries. Its main role is to supply blood and oxygen to the front of the brain .

Why do plaques appear?

This is inseparable from the anatomical structure of the carotid artery (there is a "Y"-shaped branch), the blood flow at this branch is relatively strong, and it is easy to cause mechanical damage to the arterial intima due to certain factors , allowing cholesterol to enter (the lining of blood vessels), eventually forming plaques.

According to a meta-study in 2019, after analyzing 76 correlation studies from 1962 to 2018 (involving a total of 48,847 people), it was finally found that: hyperlipidemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, hyperuricemia Blood sugar, smoking, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes and other factors are closely related to the occurrence of carotid plaques.

When carotid plaques appear, the harm is huge, and it may cause irreversible damage to brain tissue, hemiplegia, hemianopia, aphasia, etc., and even death in severe cases . Therefore, for carotid plaque, we need to pay enough attention.

2. When carotid plaques are found, how far is it from cerebral infarction?

According to the "China Stroke Prevention and Control Report (2018)", carotid artery stenosis is associated with 50% to 75% of cerebral infarction . So if the carotid artery plaque is found in the physical examination, is it not far from the cerebral infarction?

When plaque is formed, if it is not treated in time, the plaque will gradually grow. When unstable due to certain factors, the plaque may rupture and cause thrombosis. After the thrombus falls off, if the patient's blood flows to the brain tissue, it will cause a cerebral infarction.

Plaque, if left unchecked, can lead to narrowing of arteries. When the stenosis is less than or equal to 50%, the occurrence of cerebral infarction can be prevented by controlling blood pressure, blood lipids, and paying attention to lifestyle and diet .

Therefore, Xiaojiu reminds people with carotid plaques to avoid dangerous movements such as turning around abruptly, turning around suddenly, etc. that may cause the plaque to fall off, so as not to induce cerebral infarction.

When these three symptoms appear in the body for no reason, it is necessary to be alert to the possibility of carotid plaque.

1. Brief aphasia

When the lesion affects the language function area of ​​the cerebral cortex, it will lead to the impairment of verbal communication ability.

2. Impairment of motor function

Such as sudden inability to walk, unsteady gait, shaky gait, unilateral physical, facial or limb movement disturbance, tingling or numbness.

3. Transient vision black

It can be manifested as one side or both eyes, suddenly can't see objects clearly, or even go blind.

Due to the high incidence of carotid plaques, it is recommended that people over 55 years old have a carotid artery ultrasound examination once a year . , If the above symptoms occur, seek medical attention immediately.

3. Adhere to these 4 things daily, the plaque may gradually become smaller

In fact, most plaques can be "reversed", that is, through intensive cholesterol-lowering therapy and active control of other risk factors, the plaque volume can be reduced or even ignored. Guo Yifang, vice president of Hebei Provincial People's Hospital, reminded that plaque can be effectively controlled and cerebral infarction can be prevented through reasonable diet, increased exercise, control of three highs, and standardized medication.

1. Adhere to a healthy diet and exercise

This is a very important part. It is recommended to avoid high-salt, high-oil, and high-fat foods as much as possible, such as fatty meat, lard, butter, pickles, etc., and eat more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C and high fiber .

At the same time, actively participate in physical exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, jogging, etc., and keep exercising at least 4-6 times a week, and each time should not be less than 30 minutes.

2. Control the three highs

If blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids cannot be lowered all the time, it can damage the vascular endothelium, which will lead to local vascular sclerosis. Therefore, to prevent carotid plaque, it is necessary to strictly control blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids.

3. Improve your lifestyle

For example, try to avoid staying up late, because staying up late may cause mild inflammation in the body. After a long time, it can promote the lipidation of fat, thereby accelerating the formation of plaques; at the same time, quit smoking. The harmful substances in the smoke will also stimulate and damage the tube endothelium. resulting in plaques.

4. Application of drug therapy

According to the specific condition of the patient (mainly cholesterol level), cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins are selected for treatment. If the condition is serious, especially if the lumen has been severely narrowed. In addition to drugs, carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting may be required.

Summary: The carotid artery is the representative of the large and medium blood vessels in the human body. Once carotid artery plaque occurs, it can significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and endanger human health. Therefore, everyone should pay attention to this problem. harm.

References:

[1] How is carotid plaque treated? This is very detailed! 》.New Frontiers of Cardiovascular.2022-01-26

[2] "Carotid plaque is called "silent killer"? If you have these symptoms, you have to be careful". Capital Medical University Sanbo Brain Hospital. 2022-04-16

[3] "It is the blood vessel that is most afraid of being blocked, and it can be fatal if serious! 4 ways to help you prevent". CCTV Life Circle. 2021-09-12

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