Plaque build-up in the arteries happens due to excess cholesterol sticking to its walls. The medical name for the condition of clogged arteries is atherosclerosis. This does not happen suddenly or overnight. It usually takes years before the plaque accumulates and causes any serious trouble. Just as it takes years to form, it is not easy to remove plaque from the arteries.
However, there are various ways in which one can reduce plaque in arteries fast.
Ways to reduce plaque in arteries fast
Surgical intervention
Surgical procedures are the fastest way one can remove plaque from the arteries. It is only preferred by doctors when the plaque build-up so much that the patient is at immediate risk of complications like a heart attack or stroke. Angioplasty and Coronary artery bypass surgery are two common procedures followed. Angioplasty is done by inserting a deflated balloon inside the clogged arteries and inflating them there. This way the plaque is compressed and there is enough passage for your blood to flow through. A stent is left in the place which releases medicine to keep the plaque at bay.
Bypass surgery is done only when there are multiple clogged arteries. Here they divert the blood flow from the blocked arteries through vessels from another part of the body to the heart. Technically, these procedures do not remove plaque. But they do help when the condition is critical.
Medicine
While most of the medications available are only capable of keeping the complications of clogged arteries at bay, some have the capacity to reduce plaque in arteries fast. The common drugs prescribed by the doctors to fight plaque build-up include statins, fibrates, niacin, and other drugs that reduce blood pressure or clotting. While it does not completely remove plaque from arteries, prolonged use of drugs like statin has shown a reduction in the size of the plaque.
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes have the highest potential to reduce plaque in the arteries, but it will not happen as fast as you might want to. But without a doubt, it is the healthiest way without any side effects. Eating heart-healthy foods, exercising regularly, managing stress and quitting smoking has proven to reverse plaque build-up in the arteries.
You must avoid eating processed food, foods with saturated fats or trans fats. Incorporating a 30-60 minutes workout of moderate-intensity in your daily routine can improve the condition of clogged arteries. While it might take some time to reduce the plaque, the risk of further build-up gets reduced within a few days of practicing this lifestyle.
Supplements
To reduce plaque from the arteries fast, you have to eat the right foods. There are certain components in the heart-healthy foods suggested that can reduce the plaque build-up.
For people who cannot meet the everyday requirement of these components through their diet, supplements are an alternative option. Supplements provide these required components in a concentrated. The most common supplements used for clogged arteries include components like fiber, plant sterols and stanols, antioxidants and other ingredients that are known to lower cholesterol levels in your body.
Like most of the health conditions, there are no magical quick-fixes for plaque build-up in arteries as well. This condition arises because of feeding our bodies with unhealthy food and a sedentary lifestyle for a prolonged period.
So, the reversal will also take time and discipline. That being said, following a heart-healthy lifestyle and taking the correct medication or supplements can help reduce plaque in arteries fast or at least faster than in any other way.
0 Comments