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Can Blockages Be Reversed?

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I have a totally occluded right coronary artery, but my cardiologist tells me I have collaterals. Can the blockages in other arteries be reversed in any way? What can I do to avoid a heart attack?

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Current Postings on This Page (13):

• Pankaj -- yes. See our Forum Topic on "In-Stent Restenosis".
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, December 10, 2011

• Can a stent be put inside block stent to remove the blockage?
pankaj, kolkata, india, November 30, 2011

• Dear Patient from Haryana, India -- your cholesterol levels are good, but any change in your prescription medication should really be made on the recommendation of your doctor/cardiologist -- someone who can sit in the same room with you, look at your medical history, charts, etc. A 27% blockage is very small, virtually nothing, although how one can come up with a figure as specific as 27% from an angiogram is a matter of some contention among cardiologists. In any case, a "27% blockage" is probably not anything to be worrying about -- sounds like you are living healthy. (By the way, what is "hopac"?) Let us know what your cardiologist recommends.
Angioplasty.Org Staff, Angioplasty.Org, January 7, 2011

• during angiography found 27% blockage in right artery. now i am taking ecosprin-75, rosuvis-10 and hopac 2.5 mg. kindly advise me whether these tablets are to be taken for long time or i can stop after one year. if i walk up to 5 km daily and doing yoga daily. can i stop medicine after one year. my HDL is 40 LDL is 45 and total cholesterol is 140 after taking medicine for six month. kindly advise.
Patient, JSL Stainless LTD., Hisar, Haryana, India, January 4, 2011

• Since CABG in 1999 which is posted here, I have regular follow ups with cardiologist here in San Antonio. I've had several Thalium EKGs and the cardiologist always says that circulation appears to be better than prior test. I've been taking CO Q 10, could that explain the improvement?
Jim Lohman, retired, San Antonio, Texas, USA, April 11, 2009

• I cannot emphasize enough to add years to your life the importance of informing yourself of the knowledge regarding CAD that's presented in http://www.trackyourplaque.com/ by Dr. William Davis. Through educating myself from his knowledge my LDL is 57, HDL is 64, Total Cholesterol 127, Triglyceride is 50, LDL subclass B is safe, Apo B is safe, and HDL subclass 2 is terrific. I have no doubt if you spend some time you will come to the same conclusion.
Larry W., California, USA, January 20, 2008

• Regarding Jim Lohman's post of 11-21-2007: Jim, looks like you're been doing quite well! But, if you're now wanting suggestions for a non-invasive treatment option to further increase your already improved condition, you might want to investigate Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). It can increase collateral circulation as well as reduce arterial stiffness. There is also evidence to show that it may significantly reduce the number of clinical events and hospitalizations for a full year after treatment compared to the numbers that occurred 1 year prior to the treatment. Check out my posts and links in the forum topic here which deals with Experiences with Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). You might also be interested in knowing that I have already had this treatment, have always found it beneficial and have actually had the 35 hour treatment in 4 previous years and and am presently almost half way through my 5th course of treatment. It is very safe, quite effective, even for ischemic congestive heart failure, and relatively inexpensive.
Gerald Oros, Collinsville, Illinois, USA, November 22, 2007

• Re: Jim Lohman post of 1977: In 1999 I had CABG x3 at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA.They used two arteries and a portion of a leg vein. It's now 11/2007, and I feel pretty good, although some slight angina (I think) during exercise after eating. My last Thallium EKG showed better circulation than the one before, and no angina during treadmill portion. HDL=42, LDL=63, trigs 134. Still overweight, but now on Byetta for diabetes and have been losing wt. Appreciate all responses.
Jim L., retired, Texas, USA, November 21, 2007

• Possible regression with chol <150 and LDL<100. These levels achieved by dietary reductions and/or drugs. Dietary reduce chol intake to virtually 0. Reduce unsat fats to <10% of caloric intake. Reduce sat fats to <5% of intake. Drugs: statins, resins, niacin, whatever needed within liver function range; Angiotensin inhibitors to lower blood pressure if needed and to improve endothelial functons; B vitamins, E, C , folic acid to reduce homocysteine and act as antioxidants against LDL oxidation l-arganine as precursor for nitric oxide improving endothelial response. One 325 mg aspirin to help avoid that heart-attack-causing-clot you're afraid of.
 
Collateral circulation did reduce your anginal episodes and can make your circulation viable. There is nothing better than an angiogram and nothing comes close regarding coronary detail. Every other technique requires extrapolation which entails errors multiplied by human interpretive judgement. The most important info I can give you is that there is a tremendous difference in medical abilities between one doctor and another. You write that they couldn't get through the blockage? Well...your doctor couldn't. Was the lesion calcified? Was an assessment made on its time line? Was it too long? What is the diameter of the artery? Did you need it opened? Is collateral enough? There's much more to explain... I hope to add more later...
Orhan Kaunis, student, Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey, USA, March 2, 1998
 
• Best source are books by Dr. Dean Ornish, cardiologist at UCLA, "The Reversal of Heart Disease", etc. Requires major lifestyle changes, but sometimes these are easier than minor modifications, and always better than alternative (doing nothing).
Marshall Maglothin, The Heart Center, Akron General Medical Center, Ohio, USA, April M 20, 1998
 
• My father: age 70, non-diabetic, BP 180/20, normal lipid profile, active, normal weight, vegetarian, suffered block in LAD was treated with PTCA & stent was put in Pune, India. After 15 months stress test ECG shows ST depression. The doctor doubts there is another blockage, no angina still but while climbing 40-50 stairs palpitation only. He is mentally nervous after stress test showed ST depressions. My question is: Why do blocks form even after all reasons are ruled out? If they form again after 1- 2 years what is the significance of PTCA or CABG ? Is there any alternative treatment? Kindly Guide.
Mukund M. Deshmukh, Datatracks Computer Services, Maharashtra, INDIA, March 27, 1999

• What is the lipid profile? Most of the public including doctors are unaware of a "correct" lipid profile. Damage to the endothelium of an artery can lead to plaque build up. With everything correct, there is still a matter of simple physiology. The integrity of the endothelium is not infallible. Simple tortuosity of an artery can predispose. Biochemical integrity of the human body is observed statistically in todays state of the art medicine. In other words, these profiles predicting future quality of health are just statistics.
Orhan Kaunis, New York, New York, USA, 11 May 2000

• As a recipient of an angioplasty in 1990, and with continuing blockage of some other arteries since then, I am concerned that a fatal heart attack could sneak up on me. My right coronary is completely blocked (we tried an angioplasty here at Madigan Army Medical Center about three years ago, but they couldn't get a wire through the artery). The cardiologist told me that I had grown some collaterals. I used to get severe angina at night, then it stopped. Was this the result of the formation of collaterals? Is there anything new to clear blockages? I know about stents, angioplasty, atherectomy, etc. Is there an alternate procedure for checking arterial condition other than an angiogram? Is there proof positive that blockages can be reversed? At what levels of HDL could this start to happen, or is there another factor(s) to consider? I just don't feel like I am getting enough information from my cardiologist. Any information along these lines would certainly be very helpful to me. Thank you very much for your time.
Jim Lohman, U.S. Government, USA, July 22, 1997

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