If there is plaque in the carotid artery, can I still exercise? Will exercise cause the plaque to fall off?

A friend complained to Huazi that plaques were found in his carotid artery during a physical examination, and he has been worried ever since, fearing that the plaques would fall off at any time and block the blood vessels in his brain. The doctor told him that exercising more could prevent the progression of plaques, but he was afraid that exercise would cause the plaques to fall off, creating risks, so he has been struggling.

Huazi told him that he didn't need to worry too much. In fact, carotid artery plaque is a very common thing. Among the middle-aged and elderly people, only a few people have no carotid artery plaque, but most plaques are very stable and will not cause any danger.

1. Why are carotid arteries prone to plaques? Carotid artery plaques, which many people worry about, are actually very common. This is because there is a "fork in the road" in the physiological structure of the carotid artery. The arterial intima here is under great pressure from the mechanical scouring of blood flow and is easily damaged. Cholesterol in the blood will enter the intima from the damaged area and form plaques. The manifestation of carotid artery plaques under color Doppler ultrasound is the thickening of the intima and media of the carotid artery.

In other words, the physiological structure of the carotid artery determines that plaques are prone to occur at the bifurcation, and the incidence is related to aging. If you suffer from chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood sugar, or factors such as smoking and obesity, the chance of plaques will increase and the progression of plaques will be accelerated.

2. Most people do not need to worry too much about carotid artery plaques. The danger of carotid artery plaques is that after the plaques rupture, they will induce platelet aggregation, and then form blood clots to block blood vessels. However, most people's plaques are stable, do not rupture easily, and progress slowly. The overall risk is not great, so there is no need to worry too much.

Huazi believes that the presence of plaques in the carotid artery is a sign of human aging and a reminder to improve your healthy lifestyle. The presence of plaques will always remind you that your body has begun to age, and you should pay more attention to healthy eating, exercise, and maintain a regular schedule. You must pay more attention to your health to enjoy a happy life.

3. Whether treatment is needed depends on the risk of plaques. After plaques appear in the carotid artery, we need to assess their risk. We still need to be careful about plaques with a higher risk of rupture. Generally speaking, hyperechoic plaques and isoechoic plaques are plaques with better stability, while hypoechoic plaques and mixed echo plaques are unstable plaques.

Doctors need to judge the risk of plaques based on the size and location of the plaques, combined with actual conditions such as blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar, smoking, etc. Low-risk plaques do not require treatment, and a healthy lifestyle is sufficient. For high-risk plaques, medication is needed to increase the stability of the plaques and prevent platelet aggregation after rupture.

4. Will exercise cause plaques to fall off? Most plaques are safe during exercise. Carotid artery plaques are "invisible" and "intangible" and can only be found during ultrasound examinations. Most people don't know they have plaques before ultrasound examinations. They run and jump as usual without any problems. It is only after the discovery of plaques that people will carry a heavy psychological burden.

For example, coronary heart disease refers to the occurrence of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries surrounding the heart. The human heart beats more than 100,000 times a day, and the coronary arteries "move" with the heart, but most of the plaques in the coronary arteries will not rupture and remain firmly grown in the intima of the arteries.

However, some people's plaques are highly unstable. During strenuous exercise or when their emotions fluctuate violently, their blood pressure will rise and fall suddenly, causing vascular spasms and ruptures. Therefore, if you have unstable plaques or a high degree of vascular stenosis, strenuous exercise is not recommended. In particular, you should avoid holding your breath and exerting force, which will increase chest pressure and easily induce cardiovascular accidents.

However, moderate exercise can help lower blood cholesterol, slow down the progression of plaques, and even reverse them. Therefore, people with plaques can do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, and cycling, which is safer and will not cause plaque rupture.

In summary, carotid artery plaque is a common phenomenon. Most people have stable plaques, so there is no need to worry. Unstable plaques can be treated with drugs under the guidance of a doctor to increase stability and become less likely to rupture. Aerobic exercise does not increase the risk of plaques, but helps reverse them. When you have a problem with your body, don't be suspicious of yourself. Find a doctor as soon as possible to get the right diagnosis and treatment. I am pharmacist Huazi. Welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.