Atherosclerosis Treatment
Medications, lifestyle changes, and surgery may be helpful in treating atherosclerosis.
Working together, UPMC's multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, radiologists, surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, physical therapists, and nutritionists provides a full range of advanced atherosclerosis treatments focusing on:
- reducing strain on the heart
- increasing blood flow to affected organs
| medicines |
- prevent blood clots (aspirin or clopidogrel)
- control blood pressure
- lower cholesterol
- improve blood through narrowed arteries (cliostazol, pentoxifyline)
|
| lifestyle changes |
- quitting smoking
- reducing fat and cholesterol intake
- exercise
- losing weight
- eating a healthy diet
|
| catheter-based procedures |
- a balloon angioplasty to widen narrowed arteries to increase blood flow
- stenting — repair of a damaged artery by inserting a wire mesh tube to keep it open and support the arterial walls
|
| surgery |
- coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) to create an alternate route for blood
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Learn more about heart and vascular treatments at UPMC.
Return to the Heart and Vascular Institute homepage.