Lifestyle changes combined with medication can reduce the risk of stroke better than some invasive treatments such as surgery or stenting, according to a study from Monash University in Australia.
Monash University researcher Associate Professor Anne Abbott has analysed more than 40 years of data on late carotid artery stenosis, the leading cause of stroke, and found that, when combined with appropriate medical treatment, changes in diet, exercise andquit smokingother lifestyle, instroke preventionThe results are similar to, or even better than, cardiac stenting.
One in 80 people has carotid artery stenosis, a condition caused by the buildup of fatty deposits (plaques) in the aorta. The aorta carries blood to the brain, and this plaque blocks the arteries, leading to restricted blood supply and risk of stroke.
An analysis by Monash University found that among patients with only the non-invasive approach, asymptomatic patients with advanced carotid stenosis had a reduced risk of stroke by at least 65% to 1%, which is similar to acceptance in past studies.carotid surgeryor stented patients at similar or lower risk.
The findings dispel a common misconception that surgery or stenting is the best treatment for carotid stenosis, although they may do more harm than good, Abbott said in a press release.
“This is a widespread myth. It leads to inappropriate patient care, mass injury and premature death, while wasting vital health resources,” she explained.
“People need to understand that they have the greatest power to prevent their own stroke,” she added, adding that healthy lifestyle habits such as exercise, a balanced diet andquit smokingcombined with the right medication, can help reduce major risk factors such as high blood pressure, thereby effectively reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack.
In carotid endarterectomy (CEA), doctors make an incision on the side of the patient’s neck above the carotid artery, then open the artery and remove the plaque, and sew the arteries together.
Potential complications associated with this procedure include stroke, transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke), heart attack; nerve problems with specific functions of the eyes, ears, nose or tongue; bleeding into the brain, new blockages on the other side of the neck, Infections, high blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat.
During carotid angioplasty and stenting, a small catheter with a balloon tip is passed from the femoral artery in the groin area through the narrowed carotid artery, guided by X-rays. The tip of the balloon is then inflated, pushing the plaque to the side and widening the artery, a small metal mesh tube (stent) is placed in the newly opened vessel to prevent it from narrowing again, and the catheter is removed.
Possible risks associated with this procedure include stroke or transient ischemic attack, which can be caused by a blood clot loosening and entering the brain during angioplasty. In the weeks or months after surgery, stents can also form blood clots that can lead to a stroke.
Abbott believes that non-invasive interventions (lifestyle changes) have kept stroke rates so low that carotid artery surgery is no longer the approach that offers any benefit to the vast majority of patients.
“However, carotid surgery remains very common in Australia and overseas, and they continue to cause major complications, including stroke, death and heart attack, and are expensive,” she said.
Abbott is now calling on health departments to utilize non-invasive interventions and stop unnecessary and potentially dangerous procedures in order to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
Abbott’s analysis will be published in the open science journal Frontiers in Neurology in June 2022.
Originally published in “The Epoch Times”Lifestyle Changes Better Than Surgery for Preventing Stroke: Analysis」。
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Responsible editor: Li Fan◇
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