PRIMARY PREVENTIONThere are many strategies by which the progress or even the occurrence of atherosclerosis can be halted in apparently healthy but at risk individuals.
This includes modifying the risk factors by an individual. Some of them are:
- Reduction in smoking or total stoppage of smoking
- Regular exercise
- Lose weight (maintain ideal body weight)
- Eat a healthy diet low in cholesterol. Diet should include fresh fruits and vegetables
- Less consumption of saturated fat.
- Taking oily fishes
There is strong observational evidence that moderate to high levels of physical activity reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke (relative risk reduction 30-50%).
SECONDARY PREVENTION
A person who has developed atherosclerosis and is at a high risk of havving its consequences such as cerebrovascular incidents (stroke), cardiovascular incident (coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack) or peripheral disease of the vessels, should be on a drug therapy to reduce these incidences. Some drugs which can benefit are
- Cholesterol lowering drugs
- Antiplatelet drugs
- Drugs which decrease the retention of salt and water from kidneys
