More than forty years ago, Dr. Robert Wissler of the University of Chicago showed that arteriosclerosis is reversible in animals. Since then, hundreds of papers have shown that it is reversible in humans, even those who have already had heart attacks.
Simple, Inexpensive Test to Check for Plaques in Arteries: Previously, the only way that a person could find out if he had plaques in his coronary arteries was to have a tube inserted through his veins into his heart and then have a dye injected into the coronary arteries. This is expensive and dangerous. An article in Zeitschrift Fur Kardiologie showed that a test called Electron Beam Computed Tomography measures calcification in arteries and can show when plaques disappear. This test is inexpensive and dependable and does not require dangerous tubing to be put near the heart.
Prevention of Heart Attacks:
• eat lots of fruits and vegetables,
• avoid red meat,
• avoid fried foods,
• drink sugared drinks only during vigorous exercise,
• avoid foods with added sugars,
• avoid being overweight,
• control high blood pressure,
• do not smoke,
• do not take more than two alcoholic drinks a day,
• get blood levels of hydroxy vitamin D above 75 nmol/L, and
• start a supervised exercise program.
If you have had a heart attack, stroke or any other sign of arteriosclerosis, you may need tests to see if you need surgery to open closed arteries.
How Do Plaques Form? First you develop an ulcer in the inner lining of your arteries usually where arteries divide. Then you bleed and a clot forms over the ulcer. Next calcium deposits in the area and a plaque forms over the clot.
What is a Heart Attack? A plaque breaks off from the inner lining of the artery and travels down the ever-narrowing artery until it can go no further. Then a clot forms over the plaque. This blocks the flow of blood completely to a the area of heart muscle supplied by that blocked artery. The heart muscle needs to constantly receive oxygen. When the blood flow is blocked, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that blocked artery dies, which is a heart attack.
P Raggi. Regression of calcified coronary artery plaque assessed by electron beam computed tomography. Zeitschrift Fur Kardiologie, 2000, Vol 89, Suppl. 2, pp 135-139.Address Raggi P, 64 Valleybrook Dr, Hendersonville,TN 37075 USA. This tool provides an opportunity to serially monitor the effectiveness of medical therapy for coronary artery disease via the follow up of a surrogate marker of disease such as vascular calcification.
Checked 3/23/19
