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Removing Plaque From Arteries

The circulatory system moves blood through the body, providing nutrients and oxygen to all the various organs and tissues. The blood is then pumped away with the left over garbage, filtered out in the liver, kidneys, and other places. When there is a build up of plaque in the arteries, especially in the carotid artery which brings nutrients to the brain, drastic measures must often be taken.

  1. Plaque

    • Plaque is made up of fat, calcium, cholesterol, and other substances found in the blood. Plaque is formed when there's a deficiency of vitamins used to repair the walls of the arteries and veins, and so plaque is built up like a kind of scab. One that gets bigger with time, and which narrows an artery, increasing a person's blood pressure and stopping the flow of necessary nutrients.

    Diet

    • If plaque buildups are detected early on, doctors will usually instruct patients to eat better to reduce and remove plaque. Vitamin C intake is usually brought up, and cholesterol intake is brought down. This can be helpful for easing a person's blood pressure, and the change in diet can also help prevent the need for surgery, as well as further heart problems.

    Carotid Angioplasty

    • A carotid angioplasty is a surgery that's used to help clear a blocked carotid artery that has plaque constricting it. A thin tube with a small balloon on the end of it is threaded into the blocked artery. The balloon is inflated and it pushes the plaque against the sides of the artery, breaking it up and widening out the artery again.

    Carotid Endarterectomy

    • A carotid endarterectomy is a procedure where a doctor removes the inner lining of an artery and the plaque that's adhered to it. The area is number and the artery clamped, and the artery is opened and the lining is removed, along with all of the plaque that was previously blocking the artery. Then the artery is sewn closed and unclamped so that blood flow can be resumed.

    Risks

    • There are a number people who are at risk for developing plaque buildup. Those who already have heart or vascular diseases. Those who do not maintain a healthy intake of food and vitamins are also at a significant risk of plaque buildup. Lastly, those who are aging should receive regular checkups to make sure that their arteries remain plaque free.

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