Nitrates
Nitrates relax blood vessels and are used to treat chest pain. Nitrates in different forms can be used to:
- Relieve the pain of an angina attack
- Prevent an expected episode
- Reduce the number of attacks that occur by using the medicine regularly on a long-term basis.
The most commonly used nitrate for angina is nitroglycerin.
Procedures as Atherosclerosis Treatment
Advanced
atherosclerosis may require special procedures to open an artery and improve blood flow. These operations are usually done to ease severe chest pain or clear blood vessel blockages.
Examples of procedures used as atherosclerosis treatment include:
Coronary Angioplasty
An angioplasty is used to open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries. It can improve blood flow to your heart, relieve chest pain, and possibly
prevent a heart attack. Sometimes, a stent is placed in the artery to keep it propped open after the procedure.
In most cases, coronary angioplasty is a planned procedure. But it is also used as an emergency treatment during a
heart attack to quickly open a blocked coronary artery. The procedure minimizes damage during a heart attack and restores blood flow to the heart muscle.
Plaque Removal
Plaque is the buildup of
cholesterol, fat, and other substances in an artery's inner lining. Several procedures have been developed to remove harmful plaque from arteries. In a procedure called an
atherectomy, a catheter with a rotating shaver on its tip is inserted into an artery to cut away plaque. Another plaque-removal technique is laser angioplasty, in which a catheter with a laser at its tip is threaded into an artery, where it vaporizes the plaque. Each of these procedures may be used alone or with angioplasty.
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