Carotid plaques are a phenomenon that occurs during the development of atherosclerosis, commonly seen in middle-aged and elderly individuals, and are closely related to chronic diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. The main treatment method for carotid plaques is medication, and standardized drug use helps stabilize the plaques, prevent further disease progression, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.
For patients with clearly identified carotid plaques, commonly used medications include lipid-lowering drugs, such as atorvastatin and simvastatin. These drugs effectively lower the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood, reduce lipid deposition in the blood vessels, stabilize the plaques, and prevent their rupture. In addition to lipid-lowering medications, antiplatelet aggregation drugs are also important adjunctive medications in the treatment of carotid plaques. These drugs can inhibit platelet aggregation, preventing thrombus formation, thereby reducing the incidence of stroke and other cardiovascular events.
Besides Western medicine, some traditional Chinese medicines also have unique advantages in treating carotid plaques. For example, the commonly used Tongxinluo capsules, which are composed of various traditional Chinese medicine ingredients such as ginseng, leeches, and whole scorpions, have the effects of invigorating qi, promoting blood circulation, and relieving pain. They can regulate lipids and anticoagulation, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, stabilize and reverse plaques, relieve vascular spasms, reduce the thickness of the intima in the carotid artery, decrease the plaque area and vascular remodeling index, inhibit the formation and development of plaques, and play a positive role in the prevention and treatment of carotid plaques. They can also prevent adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. It is understood that the research project “Establishment of Traditional Chinese Medicine Meridians Theory and Its Guidance on Prevention and Treatment of Microvascular Lesions,” which is an important part of the study on the treatment of cardiovascular diseases with Tongxinluo, won the first prize in the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2019, ensuring both efficacy and safety.
It is important to note that patients should consider their own conditions, such as the nature, size, and location of the plaques, as well as personal factors like age, sex, and underlying diseases, and use medications according to the guidance of their doctors, avoiding self-medication to prevent delays in treatment or adverse reactions.
