Beware! This indicator is abnormal and may threaten your life! Take action as soon as possible if these 4 situations occur!

The carotid artery is mainly responsible for supplying blood and nutrients to the brain, and it is also a "window" for monitoring blood vessels throughout the body. Once carotid atherosclerotic plaques appear, it means that blood vessels throughout the body are gradually hardening, and the risk of myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction will increase accordingly.

Therefore, more and more people pay attention to ultrasound examination, and this examination found carotid artery plaque. It is inevitable to feel a little uneasy when thinking that it may lead to stroke.

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So, is it a big deal to detect carotid artery plaque? How to judge the risk of plaque?

01

Carotid artery plaque

Do you need treatment?

In fact, the development of plaques is a normal physiological process of human aging. According to statistics, about 40% of people over 40 have plaques; more than 80% of people over 70 have plaques!

Therefore, it does not mean that all carotid artery plaques are highly dangerous. Some with lower risks can even be treated without medication. Whether to treat depends on the plaque and your own condition.

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02

From the ultrasound report

See the dangers of arterial plaque

1. Stability of plaque

The stability of the plaque is mainly determined by the echo of the ultrasound results.

1. Strong echoes are stable plaques (hard plaques). This type of plaque usually causes blood vessel narrowing and blockage by growing continuously, affecting the blood supply to the brain. So if it is still small, you only need to observe it regularly and control other underlying diseases.

2. Moderate (mixed) echo is a mixed plaque, which is between stable plaque and unstable plaque. If it is not too large, it can be controlled with medication. If it is too large, surgical treatment is required.

3. Low echo indicates an unstable plaque (soft plaque), which can easily rupture and cause secondary thrombosis. Once a thrombus blocks the carotid artery, or breaks off and enters the intracranial artery with the blood flow, it will affect the blood supply to the brain and induce a stroke. Therefore, you must follow the doctor's advice for treatment after detection.

2. Blood Flow Rate

Carotid artery stenosis is divided into four grades according to blood flow velocity.

1. Level 1 is less than 50%, and the systolic blood flow velocity is greater than 125 cm/s. Blood lipids are within the normal range, so there is generally no need to worry. You can consider whether you need treatment based on your personal situation. Please follow the doctor's advice for details.

2. Level 2 is when the stenosis is greater than 50% and less than 70%, and the systolic blood flow velocity is greater than 125 cm/s and less than 230 cm/s. Plaque rupture or insufficient blood supply to the brain may occur, requiring drug treatment and strict control of risk factors.

3. Grade 3 is when the stenosis is greater than 70% and less than 99%, and the systolic blood flow velocity is greater than 230 cm/s. At this time, even if there are no symptoms, active treatment is required, and surgery may even be considered.

4. Level 4 means that the lumen is narrowed by 99%, there is almost no blood flow signal, and it is close to occlusion. It is extremely dangerous and requires timely surgery.

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3. Carotid Intima-Membranous Thickness (CIMT)

The carotid intima thickness refers to the distance between the intima and adventitia of the carotid artery. The normal intima thickness is 0.5~0.9 mm.

When the thickness exceeds 1 mm, it is diagnosed as carotid intimal thickening; when the thickness exceeds 1.2 mm, it is diagnosed as carotid plaque; when the thickness exceeds 1.5 mm, it is generally directly diagnosed as carotid stenosis.

If the intima of the carotid artery becomes thicker and thicker, it means that the plaque is getting larger and the degree of blood vessel stenosis is becoming more serious. You must follow the doctor's advice and actively adjust your lifestyle, take medication, or undergo surgery.

Components of plaques

The composition of carotid plaques also has important implications for patient risk assessment and treatment selection. Common plaque components include:

1. Calcification: Calcification within a plaque indicates that the plaque has been there for some time and is at a higher risk.

2. Fibrin and cholesterol crystals: These components within the plaque indicate that the plaque is unstable and may rupture and cause thrombosis.

3. Coagulation factors: Coagulation factors within the plaque may also cause thrombosis, increasing the risk.

After receiving the check list, you must consult a doctor in time and follow the doctor's advice! If you experience symptoms such as dizziness, sudden blacking out of the eyes, blurred vision, and movement disorders in your life, it means that you have embolism and you must go to the hospital in time to avoid life-threatening.

03

A Plan to Assist in Plaque Reversal

Once you have detected a carotid artery plaque, you don’t have to just leave it there. You can use some “small tricks” to stabilize the plaque so that it no longer develops or develops rapidly. A small number of plaques can even shrink.

1. Special diet plan, anti-inflammatory diet

Inflammation can directly infect blood vessel wall cells, damage the endothelium, and allow cholesterol to take advantage, accelerating the progression of the disease. Therefore, it is recommended to add anti-inflammatory foods such as fish, shrimp, low-sugar fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and olive oil to your daily diet.

Overlooked Anti-Inflammatory Foods

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Map: I am a great doctor official account

Avoid pro-inflammatory foods

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Map: I am a great doctor official account

2. Keep exercising to lower bad cholesterol levels

Bad cholesterol can be said to be the raw material supply of plaques, and foreign studies have found that if the level of bad cholesterol in serum is lower than 1.8 mmol per liter, or drops by 50% from the original level, there is a chance of curbing the progression of arterial plaques or even reversing them.

Therefore, we recommend daily exercise to control bad cholesterol levels and protect blood vessel health.

It is usually recommended that middle-aged and elderly people do some moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or jogging for half an hour, five days a week; or skipping rope (pretend to skip rope), as long as the heart rate reaches 120 beats/minute.

If the carotid artery stenosis exceeds 50%, or the plaque is unstable, the intensity of exercise should be appropriately reduced to avoid causing accelerated heart rate, vasoconstriction, and increased risk of plaque rupture. You can walk, jog, practice Tai Chi, etc. appropriately, and avoid strenuous exercise.

Source: I am a great doctor official account

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