Headache, increased fatigue, decreased concentration, general lethargy and passivity - all these manifestations are most often attributed to the common cold, hormonal failure, or the so-called chronic fatigue syndrome. But if they occur over a long time, becoming more pronounced, or the clinical picture expands with additional symptoms, it is urgent to contact the clinic and undergo an examination. It is possible that this is cerebral arteriosclerosis.
How to treat this disease? Like any other ailment of the cardiovascular system, this requires an individual and at the same time integrated approach. The main thing is not to self-medicate, since an error in choosing drugs can cost serious and irreversible consequences.
Which doctor should I go to?
Before treating cerebral arteriosclerosis, the patient is referred for examination. Only after making an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will be able to proceed with the treatment of this unpleasant disease.
If atherosclerotic plaques are found in the patient’s vessels of the brain, it is important to understand that it will not be possible to completely get rid of them and recover once and for all. This process is progressive and can lead to impaired cerebral circulation. But if you seek help in a timely manner and comply with medical recommendations, you can achieve good results in the treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis. Methods and drugs used in therapy should be prescribed only by your doctor.
By the way, a neurologist is involved in this disease, but often a cardiologist plays a role in determining the scheme of medical tactics. The goal of therapy for atherosclerosis of blood vessels is to expand their walls, normalize metabolism and improve the quality of blood.
The main principles of therapy
Many patients are interested in how to treat atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels and whether there are any special effective methods that will improve well-being and stop the development of the disease. In fact, there is nothing unusual or special in the treatment of this disease. It is based on the most common principles.
Dieting is the first rule. Before treating cerebral arteriosclerosis with pills, it is necessary to adjust the lifestyle and review the diet. Fatty meats, offal (kidneys, lungs, brains), lard, egg yolk - all these products contain cholesterol, which is not properly absorbed by the body, but settles on the walls of blood vessels. Instead of this food, it is better to lean on oatmeal, potatoes, cabbage, low-fat cottage cheese and sour-milk drinks, soy, vegetables and fruits rich in plant fiber.
By the way, an established diet can come back with weight loss, which is very useful. After all, extra pounds interfere with full-fledged physical activity. Every day you need to exercise or at least do exercises in the morning. Lack of movement is one of the risk factors for the progression of atherosclerosis.
You will have to abandon bad habits - otherwise the therapy will not bring the expected effect. Smoking and drinking lead to spikes in blood pressure, which should never be allowed. With narrowed vessels affected by atherosclerosis, and high pressure, the risk of stroke increases several times.
To control your blood pressure, protect yourself from worries and intense stress. When asking about how to treat cerebral arteriosclerosis, you first need to understand that such a patient should not worry, he should rest a lot and not overwork.
Examination is the first step to treatment
Which doctor treats cerebral arteriosclerosis is already known. When the symptoms mentioned at the beginning of the article appear, you need to go to an appointment with a neurologist. Experienced specialists, as a rule, detect a problem during the first visit of the patient. Sleep disturbances, headache, distraction, arrhythmia, memory problems with hypertension speak for themselves. But to make a diagnosis, the doctor’s assumptions alone are not enough - confirmation is needed, that is, the results of diagnostic procedures.
If you suspect atherosclerosis of the vessels of the patient’s head, they are sent to a lipid profile. This examination allows you to determine:
- blood cholesterol (normal no more than 5.2 mm / l);
- the number of low density lipoproteins ("bad" cholesterol - not more than 3.9 mm / l);
- and high density ("good" cholesterol exceeds 1.58 mm / l);
- triglycerides (norm in the range of 0.14-1.82 mol / l);
- atherogenic coefficient (less than 3).
If the results of the lipid profile indicate the presence of the disease, additional instrumental diagnostics will be required. To assess the degree of vascular damage atherosclerosis, ultrasound and angiography are performed. Both methods are non-invasive and painless. In the first case, no special preparation is required at all. Angiography is usually performed using a contrast medium. Moreover, the diagnosis can be fluoroscopic, computer or magnetic resonance.
Only after receiving an objective picture of the disease are drugs prescribed.
Treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis is carried out conservatively or surgically. It all depends on the degree of the disease.
Anti-sclerotic drugs
Treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis with drugs begins with the use of statins. Drugs in this group reduce the rate of plaque formation. The most effective of those prescribed for the treatment of a number of neurological pathologies include:
The direct purpose of statins is to reduce the concentration of cholesterol in the blood and stop the growth of sizes of atherosclerotic formations on the walls of blood vessels. Contraindication to their use is pregnancy and lactation. Also, statins are not prescribed for children with liver or kidney dysfunction, myalgia, lupus erythematosus and endocrine disorders.
Fibrates
These drugs in the medical treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis are mandatory if gout develops along with this ailment. Fibrates ("Bezafibrat", "Liprimar", "Gembifrozil") can reduce the level of triglycerides in the blood. If this indicator is normal, drugs of this group are not assigned to the patient. In addition, fibrates cannot be used for gallstone disease, renal failure, children, pregnant and lactating women.
Antihypertensives and antiplatelet agents
In the medical treatment of atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, an important place is taken by drugs that lower blood pressure. Medicines against hypertension are prescribed, as a rule, for life. This is a wide pharmacological group, which includes drugs such as Reserpine, Captopril, Octadine. The choice of the appropriate remedy should be done by the doctor. It is dangerous to prescribe medications on your own and take them without specialist supervision, since they can cause serious complications and have many contraindications.
Antiplatelet agents, among which the most popular is Heparin, inhibit platelet aggregation and prevent them from sticking to, sticking to the blood vessel endothelium. These drugs are used in the prevention of ischemic stroke, heart attack.
The thing is that platelets are directly involved in the formation of cholesterol plaques, so antiplatelet agents are considered indispensable drugs in the treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis. In 8 patient reviews out of ten, it is stated that antiplatelet agents are prescribed as part of the complex therapy of this disease. They are contraindicated in peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiac aneurysm, liver or kidney failure.
Other drugs
When compiling a drug treatment plan for cerebral arteriosclerosis, the doctor will definitely remember about nicotinic acid and its derivatives. This remedy is prescribed if a patient has high cholesterol. In addition, this substance helps to improve blood circulation in the brain and the resorption of small thrombotic formations.
Another drug group used in atherosclerosis is sequestrants of bile acids ("Colestipol", "Colestyramine"). They are not absorbed into the blood and are used as maintenance therapy during the break between the main courses of treatment. Sequestrants stimulate the process of removing bile from the body and reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol. In diseases of the hepatobiliary system and gastrointestinal disorders, they can not be taken.
Nutritional Supplements for the Treatment of Atherosclerosis
The use of all of the above drugs in the treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis in elderly patients is unsafe. If the level of cholesterol in the blood has risen slightly, treatment should not be started with potent synthetic statins. It is better to use natural analogues of these funds, which have no contraindications and do not bring side effects. Moreover, they are much easier to carry and have a pleasant taste.
For example, statins can be replaced with a combination of vitamins C and B3. It is also regularly recommended to consume fish oil, linseed oil, peanuts, dark grapes, turmeric, etc. Some bioactive additives created using natural ingredients can be taken without consulting a doctor. For example, taking dietary supplements on the basis of:
- Coenzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant that can protect the cardiovascular system and normalize cholesterol;
- beta-sitosterol - has a structural similarity with "good" cholesterol and helps to neutralize the "bad";
- Nicotinic acid is the second name for vitamin B3, which is involved in the blood circulation of the brain.
Laser surgery
In addition to conservative methods of treatment, in severe cases, the patient may be prescribed surgery. With a severe degree of cerebral arteriosclerosis, laser treatment often remains the patient's last hope for recovery or, at least, stabilization.
This method of combating the deposition of cholesterol plaques has been known since the 80s of the last century. The first treatment of atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels with a laser was carried out in the capital's A.N. Bakulev Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery. Today, this method of combating the disease is widespread and is used in almost all major cities of Russia.
The operation is performed using a laser beam - this is the only tool of a neurosurgeon. The essence of this procedure is as follows:
- a flexible quartz thread with a blood stream is carried out to the place where cholesterol deposition is localized, which prevents the full movement of blood;
- then the laser is turned on and begins to have a direct effect on the plaque using high temperatures;
- during manipulation, the deposit heats up sharply, due to which it evaporates - the plaque turns into gas.
This treatment method is considered highly effective, but at the same time simple in execution technique. It does not require a huge investment of time both for the operation itself and for recovery from it. The technique itself is similar to that used in the treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities.
Regardless of the treatment method chosen, it is important to understand that no one can guarantee the healing once and for all. If the cause that caused atherosclerosis is not eliminated, relapse of the disease is inevitable.
Alternative medicine
How to treat cerebral arteriosclerosis with folk medicine? At home, you can also treat this disease. Of course, it will not be as powerful as the drug. And if traditional methods are used in the treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis as monotherapy, it is unlikely that the expected effect will be achieved. It is recommended to use home remedies in combination with traditional methods - then it will be possible to cure the disease much faster.
Fundamental in folk therapy are herbal preparations, seeds, rhizomes of medicinal plants and other raw materials. Honey and mummy are also considered useful for cerebral vessels - these ingredients are used both for the treatment and for the prevention of atherosclerosis. They are mainly used without restrictions, since the only contraindication to use is an allergic reaction.
To lower cholesterol with home remedies, you must use the following methods.
Fresh Vegetable Juices
In order to prevent and eliminate existing atherosclerotic deposits in the vessels of the brain, vegetable juices from cabbage, beets, potatoes, pumpkins, celery and carrots are used. Moreover, both single-component juices and mixes are considered useful. You need to drink half a glass of freshly squeezed juice in the morning and evening. To stop the progression of the pathological process in the cerebral arteries, citrus fruits, raspberries, and strawberries also help.
Natural honey
It is possible to apply funds based on it only in the absence of an allergic reaction. Honey activates the blood supply to all organs and systems, helps cleanse blood vessels and restore lipid metabolism. Often they use honey in combination with vegetable oil, citrus juice or herbal decoction. For example, from atherosclerosis often use a decoction based on plantain and chrysostom, for the preparation of which you will need to take 1 tsp. each component and 1 glass of water. Cook the broth for 10 minutes, cool, strain, add honey and drink after meals, divided into two doses.
Garlic
Many of the recipes for alternative treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis include this component. Garlic is a natural remedy for cholesterol in the body. It is eaten in pure form as an additive to dishes. You can also make tincture from garlic. It is prepared as follows: 100 g of garlic gruel is poured into 200 g of vodka and left to infuse for 10-14 days in a dark place. When the tincture is ready, you need to strain it and drink a few drops. Start with three drops, then gradually increase the dosage to 30, then reduce it in the reverse order.
Also in the treatment of atherosclerosis, an effective folk remedy is onion juice mixed with lemon juice. Drink 2 tsp. three times a day on an empty stomach.
Medicinal plants
There are some more simple options for treating atherosclerosis:
- Pour boiling water over the fruits or flowers of hawthorn (you need to take as much water as raw materials), put on fire, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drink chilled and filtered broth in unlimited quantities throughout the day.
- Pour birch buds (2 tbsp.) With two glasses of water and cook for 15 minutes, then insist and take 50 ml after each meal.
- Prepare a plantain broth according to the above method in the same proportion. You can add honey or lemon juice to it.
- Thyme grass is used in the complex treatment of atherosclerosis, taking 1 tbsp. l dried flowers or stems of the plant per 0.5 l of boiling water. You do not need to boil a drink: just cover it with a lid and let it brew for an hour. Drink 200 ml every day after meals for a week.
Reviews of patients and specialists
Atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels is a very common disease, which, judging by the reviews, is found not only in the elderly. With proper treatment and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the prognosis for the disease is favorable.
Most patients suffering from this disease noted such a symptom as an increase in blood pressure and severe headache, which forced them to see a doctor. After undergoing treatment for cerebral arteriosclerosis (according to reviews), the symptoms became more lubricated, but did not disappear completely. A good effect in the treatment of this disease is demonstrated by laser therapy. However, only a few can afford this method of treatment because of the high cost.
Doctors in their reviews recommend that patients pay more attention to preventive measures. In the fight against atherosclerosis, breathing exercises, swimming, and hardening are useful. Observing all the doctor’s instructions, the patient will be able to take control of this disease and live a full active life.