Content Sources:
Chinese Journal of Medical Frontiers(Electronic Edition),2011,3(05):42-93.
[2] Zhou Yingying, Lu Zhongying, Chen Xiang.Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine diet therapy and medicinal diet in the treatment of hyperlipidemia[J].Chinese Medicine and Clinical Medicine,2023,14(06):109-112.
[3] Huang Lianlian, Li Mingming, Wang Meilan.Analysis of the impact of health literacy and social support on the quality of life of patients with coronary heart disease[J].Practical Preventive Medicine,2023,30(09):1123-1126.
Li Guoqiang is an 82-year-old retired worker in Hainan. In order to support his three children, he endured a lot of hardships and did all kinds of tiring and hard work. After retirement, the children are also married, so they can take care of their old age. He doesn't have any hobbies, he likes to smoke a cigarette and drink a little wine on weekdays, go for a walk in the park, and walk his dog by the way.
On March 12, 2015, when Li Guoqiang took his home-raised border herd for a walk in the park, he suddenly felt a little stuffy in his chest and a little dizzy in his head.
Since then, Li Guoqiang has occasionally had some dizziness and fatigue, he has always been unconcerned, thinking that it is just some small physical problems, don't care about it at all, just sleep.
It wasn't until April 9, 2015, when Li Guoqiang picked up his granddaughter at the gate of the primary school, that he suddenly felt a panic in his heart, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and the area in his chest was stuffy and painful, and he almost couldn't breathe.
It didn't take long for my son to drive over and immediately send the person to the nearest tertiary hospital for treatment. The doctor immediately prescribed blood routine, electrocardiogram examination, neck color ultrasound and heart color ultrasound. Blood lipid test showed that cholesterol was as high as 6.1 mmol/L and triglyceride was 2.7 mmol/L, both of which were abnormal indicators. ECG findings show significant ST-segment elevation, which is typical of coronary artery disease, and myocardial ischemia may be present. Color ultrasound showed decreased myocardial movement, especially abnormal ventricular wall movement, and a carotid plaque of about 8 mm at the location of the carotid artery.
As soon as he heard that he had so many abnormal indicators, Li Guoqiang was really frightened, not to mention that he also heard that there was an 8 mm carotid plaque in his neck, he panicked, and asked the doctor with a white face, he has always been physically tough, how could such a big plaque grow on his neck?
The doctor patiently explained to him that the main cause of vascular plaque is the plaque produced by the arteries, which are mainly formed by the accumulation of calcium, fat, cholesterol and some cellular wastes, which will block the blood vessels and aggravate the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
For example, long-term high blood pressure may cause damage to the inner wall of the blood vessels, which can accelerate the formation of arterial plaque. There are also some bad lifestyle habits that can also lead to plaque formation, such as smoking, where ingredients such as nicotine and tar in cigarettes can increase the risk of arteriosclerosis of the arteries in the heart and legs. Long-term consumption of high-fat and high-calorie foods may induce changes in the body's blood cholesterol levels, and may also lead to the formation of plaque in blood vessels.
Li Guoqiang suddenly realized that it was because of his bad habits on weekdays that he had this disease. He regretted it, but he had been smoking for decades, and he couldn't quit for a while, and he was mainly worried that the disease was not serious now.
The doctor told him that carotid plaque is a lesion belonging to the carotid artery, which is the first large blood vessel to branch out from the aorta.
Plaques larger than 8 mm in clinical terms are considered large lesions and need to be treated aggressively.
It also depends on whether the plaque is in a stable state and the severity of the stenosis. If it is a soft plaque or a mixed plaque, there is a risk of falling off, and the plaque will clog wherever it falls. When the volume of plaque is very large and the blood vessels are very narrow, then the plaque will be stuck in the blood vessels here, resulting in unobstructed local blood circulation, and in severe cases, it will lead to serious disorders of body functions, and even organ necrosis, and the risk of cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction is greatly increased.
Li Guoqiang knew that cerebral infarction was a form of stroke, and he thought that Lao Zhang next door had suffered a stroke and was paralyzed in bed for decades, with a crooked mouth and slanted eyes, half of his body paralyzed, and he couldn't take care of himself at all, relying on his wife in his 70s to take care of him. He didn't want to be like that, so he quickly asked the doctor if there was any good treatment.
The doctor said that fortunately he was found early, because he had high blood lipids at this stage, and he also had coronary heart disease and carotid plaque. It is recommended that he be hospitalized immediately for infusion therapy, observe for a few days, and then consider using statin lipid-regulating drugs for long-term control after his condition is stable, while maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding high-fat and high-cholesterol foods, and having regular physical examinations in the future, monitoring blood pressure and other indicators, and strictly quitting smoking and limiting alcohol, so as not to increase the risk of plaque shedding.
After listening to the doctor's explanation, Li Guoqiang understood the seriousness of his condition and hurriedly agreed. After a week of hospitalization, Li Guoqiang's condition stabilized, and the indicators gradually returned to normal values, and the doctor agreed to discharge him from the hospital, and prescribed him nitroglycerin, simvastatin and clopidogrel and other drugs for oral administration, so as to improve the endothelial function of blood vessels and delay the progression of the disease.
After insisting on taking medicine regularly for a period of time, Li Guoqiang found that he had lost those chest tightness and shortness of breath, and thought that he was back to normal life. I couldn't help but be secretly happy in my heart, the disease got better so quickly, it should not be serious at all, so I didn't take the medicine anymore, and the cigarette started smoking again.
On May 13, 2015, when Li Guoqiang was shopping for vegetables in the vegetable market, his face suddenly turned pale, his breath was short, and his head was dizzy. He stood there carrying a basket of vegetables, only to feel that his eyes were blurry, and the people around him could not see clearly. In a whirlwind, he almost fell to the ground, but fortunately, a young man passing by helped him and rushed him to the hospital.
As soon as he entered the hospital, Li Guoqiang was sent to the emergency department, and the nurse immediately set up intravenous access for him, and the doctor ordered emergency infusion therapy. Li Guoqiang regretted it in his heart at this time, where was he doing this, it was obvious that there was a time bomb hanging above his head, which would explode at any time.
Fortunately, God willing, he was sent in time, and the treatment measures taken by the doctor were very effective, helping him stabilize the plaque and allowing Li Guoqiang to pick up his life. This escape from death made him no longer dare to despise his disease, and he was determined to control his condition.
According to the doctor's advice to him, Li Guoqiang decided to quit smoking and drinking, and at the same time took the medicine regularly on time and in accordance with the amount, did not dare to slack off, and also made a series of plans for himself to adjust his physical condition.
Half a year later, Li Guoqiang returned to the hospital for a follow-up, and his blood lipid returned to 1.5, and his blood pressure and other indicators also returned to normal. What's even more amazing is that the 8mm carotid plaque in his neck is gone. The doctor was very surprised, he had seen such a case in the clinic for more than 20 years, which is also a rare thing in the medical field.
When the patients in the same ward heard this, they also hurriedly ran over to learn from him and asked him if he had used any special medicine, which was also amazing. Li Guoqiang touched his head and said with some embarrassment: "I didn't use any special drugs, I just used these three methods......"
The first way is to exercise in moderation
As we age, the body's metabolic capacity decreases. In the process of exercise, a large amount of body fat and sugar can be consumed, so as to reduce blood lipids, and it has a certain therapeutic effect on patients with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Moderate exercise is beneficial to physical and mental health, good blood lipid control, can reduce the risk of arterial plaque enlargement, such as walking, tai chi, jogging and other gentle exercise methods, is conducive to stabilizing blood concentration, protecting the health of the vascular endothelium.
The second way is to manage your diet
In terms of diet, it is necessary to pay attention to controlling the intake of high-fat substances. Foods high in fat and cholesterol can put a burden on body functions, which may aggravate endothelial damage and cause arterial narrowing and blockage. Eat more light and easy-to-digest foods to reduce the pressure on the body, fresh fruits and vegetables and grains and grains can play a certain role in regulating the physical discomfort caused by arterial plaque, such as spinach, apples, bananas, black beans and other foods.
The third way is to have a regular routine and maintain a calm mood
The most important thing to improve living habits is to quit smoking and drinking, avoid staying up late, when staying up late, the body function will decline, the various systems can not function normally, and the toxins and garbage in the blood cannot be eliminated, which will further harm the inner wall of the blood vessels. Excessive stress and anxiety can lead to hormones that constrict blood vessels, increasing the risk of developing the disease, while a calm mind can promote good health.
In addition to taking medication on time, on time and in accordance with the amount, and going to the hospital for regular check-ups. Adhere to the three methods of moderate exercise, diet management, and regular work and rest are worthy of our reference.