DISCLAIMER: THIS PAGE CONTAINS A GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DISCUSSION ON THE ABOVE TOPIC. IT IS NOT HEALTH ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS SUCH. YOU SHOULD NEVER RELY UPON THE INFORMATION GIVEN HERE. YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES MAY WELL REQUIRE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT APPROACH. YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES IN YOUR MEDICATIONS, DIET, ACTIVITY, LIFESTYLE, ETC. WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING A LICENSED PHYSICIAN IN YOUR AREA.
Atherosclerosis is caused by many factors. Inflammation of the walls of the blood vessels is one of the most important causes. Blood tests can assess an individual's inflammatory state and therefore predict the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
Infammation of the blood vessels is promoted by many factors:
The most commonly used blood test is a measurement of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). A level less than 1.0 mg/l is normal. A level between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/l represents a moderate risk range. A level of 3.0 or higher is a high risk for developing vascular disease.
Cholesterol lowering medications also reduce CRP levels.
Aspirin helps prevent heart attacks and this effect if most pronounced in patients with elevated CRP levels. However, aspirin does not lower the level of CRP. Other antiplatelet medications are also effective.
Other ways to reduce inflammation include smoking cessation, weight loss, exercise and diet (a low fat diet that contains nuts, fish oils, vegetables, fiber and a moderate amount of alcohol). Some diabetes medications help reduce inflammation in the blood vessels as do some medicines used for other cardiovascular purposes (ACE-Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers).
Reducing the CRP level in patients with coronary artery disease has been shown to improve patients outcomes. It seems that it should be reduced to 2 mg/l or less in these patients. This is usually accomplished by using the statin class of cholesterol lowering medications.
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