once a blockage is there it's generally there to stay. with medication and lifestyle changes though plaques may slow or stop growing. they may even shrink slightly with aggressive treatment. lifestyle changes: reducing the lifestyle risk factors that lead to atherosclerosis will slow or stop the process. that means a healthy diet exercise and no smoking. medication:taking drugs for high cholesterol and high blood pressure will slow and perhaps even halt the progression of atherosclerosis as well as lower your risk of heart attacks and stroke. using invasive techniques doctors can also open up blockages from atherosclerosis or go around them: angiography and stenting: cardiac catheterization with angiography of the coronary arteries is the most common angiography procedure performed. angioplasty (catheters with balloon tips) and stenting can often open up a blocked artery. bypass surgery: surgeons "harvest" a healthy blood vessel (often from the leg or chest). they use the healthy vessel to bypass a segment blocked by atherosclerosis. these procedures involve a risk of complications. they are usually saved for people with significant symptoms or limitations caused by atherosclerosis.
how is atherosclerosis treated?