I.3 Treatment

Treatment for atherosclerosis includes:

Lifestyle Changes

Eat a cholesterol-lowering diet.
Exercise, which can produce nitric oxide (NO) to prevent atherosclerosis (more info).

Medicines

Cholesterol-lowering medicines.
Anticoagulants to prevent clots.
Antiplatelet medicines (such as aspirin) to stop platelets from clumping together.

Special Procedures and Surgery

Angioplasty. This procedure is used to open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries. It can improve blood flow to the heart, relieve chest pain, and possibly prevent a heart attack.
Coronary artery bypass surgery. This surgery uses arteries or veins from other areas in the body to bypass the diseased coronary arteries.
Carotid artery surgery. This surgery removes plaque buildup from the carotid artery in the neck. This opens the artery and improves blood flow to the brain.
Bypass surgery of the leg arteries. This surgery uses a healthy blood vessel to bypass the narrowed or blocked blood vessels. The healthy blood vessel redirects blood around the blocked artery, improving blood flow to the leg.