What are the hazards of cervical vascular plaques

Some friends will find that there are blood clots in their necks. The blood vessels in the neck are abnormal because the human neck is rich in blood vessels and veins. Once this happens, it is necessary to consider that it is caused by insufficient blood flow and slow blood flow. You need to go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible. If necessary, surgical treatment is required, otherwise it will lead to the aggravation of the disease, so as to avoid causing any harm to the body during the disease process.

The dangers of carotid artery plaque

Causes cerebral infarction

Carotid plaque is a mass-like structure formed by damage to the carotid artery wall due to multiple risk factors and the aggregation of formed elements in the blood flow. This is a bit like the grease accumulated in the kitchen drain, which will cause drain blockage over time. The danger of carotid plaque is not just that it will block the local carotid artery when it grows, which is a relatively long process after all.

The danger of carotid artery plaque lies mainly in unstable plaque, that is, plaque that is not firmly attached to the blood vessel wall and easily falls off. When a plaque falls off in whole or in part, it becomes a thrombus in the bloodstream, which travels through the bloodstream to the brain and blocks the distal cerebral artery, leading to an embolic event. Different results will occur depending on the size of the blocked blood vessel and the duration of the blockage. The symptoms of blockage of small blood vessels are mild or no symptoms, while blockage of large blood vessels can cause sudden symptoms such as hemiplegia and aphasia. If the blockage time is short, transient slurred speech, dizziness, limb numbness or weakness may occur.

Since carotid plaques are so dangerous, in order to prevent cerebral infarction, we must pay attention to the prevention of carotid plaques. The intensity and course of treatment should be determined according to the specific situation of the carotid plaques. Here I would like to remind friends: Friends who have already suffered cerebral infarction should regularly check the neck vascular ultrasound to track the size and stability of the plaque; it is best to screen the neck artery ultrasound during health examinations to detect carotid plaques as early as possible; friends who suspect cerebrovascular disease must screen the neck artery ultrasound.

How to deal with carotid artery plaque

Actively control risk factors: For example, patients with hypertension should control their blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg. It is recommended to use long-acting antihypertensive drugs, preferably antihypertensive drugs taken orally once a day. In particular, the use of short-acting nitroglycerin (nifedipine) for long-term blood pressure reduction is not recommended; patients with diabetes should control their blood sugar within the normal range; lipid-lowering drugs should be used according to individual conditions to lower blood lipids to ideal levels, etc.

Change unhealthy lifestyle: Ensure 400 grams of vegetables and fruits every day, eat more grains and legumes, and reduce the intake of fat-rich foods such as eggs and fatty meat as much as possible. The daily salt intake should be less than 5 grams, especially for patients with hypertension, it is currently recommended that the daily salt intake should be less than 2.3 grams;

Quit smoking and control drinking. The average daily alcohol intake for men should not exceed 20-30 grams of alcohol, and for women should not exceed 10-15 grams of alcohol;

Lose or control weight by reducing the number of calories in your diet and increasing physical activity. Insist on at least 30 minutes of physical exercise every day such as walking, jogging, Tai Chi, climbing stairs, cycling, etc.; in addition, it is also very important to maintain a good attitude, to maintain a positive, optimistic, open-minded and relaxed mood, treat yourself and others correctly, and be content.

Drug treatment: Antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin can be selected according to individual circumstances to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Drugs that control and slow the progression of carotid artery plaques can also be used. Currently, drugs that have been proven effective in clinical studies include statins, lipid-lowering drugs such as atorvastatin, as well as procalcitonin and folic acid.

Surgery: Severe carotid artery stenosis sometimes requires carotid endarterectomy or stenting.

Regular physical examinations: Regular physical examinations can observe the size and nature of plaques, and timely consultation with a neurologist can adjust medication to control the progression of the disease.