Atherosclerosis is a chronic pathology of the vascular pathways. It develops against the background of a violation of the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates. It is characterized by the appearance of cholesterol plaques on the walls of arteries and capillaries. Atherosclerosis in old age needs proper treatment, prevention of the disease will reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, and improve the quality of life.

The disease is considered age-related. But in Lately doctors diagnose high cholesterol levels in young people. Symptoms and course of atherosclerosis at an older age differ from the manifestations of vascular pathology in young people. The signs of circulatory disorders are influenced by the location of the cholesterol plaque.

Symptoms of the disease in old age:

• there is dizziness, headaches, disorientation in space, the appearance of flies in front of the eyes;
• atherosclerosis of the brain, which occurs in elderly patients, is accompanied by tinnitus. Sometimes it becomes so intense that insomnia develops;
• when localizing the site of stenosis in lower limbs the symptomatology changes. There is swelling of the arms, legs, discoloration of the skin, and the pain syndrome is increasing. The situation is dangerous by the development of gangrene with loss of a limb;
• when localized in the renal arteries - a stable increase in blood pressure. In senile atherosclerosis, a characteristic symptom is the lack of effect after taking drugs to lower blood pressure. The development of renal failure is possible.

Diagnostics is carried out on the basis of patient complaints, the results of a blood test for cholesterol. Additionally, cardiography with stress, Doppler ultrasonography to assess the state of the vascular system is shown. The examination includes an MRI scan for clear detailing of the affected area.

Review of atherosclerosis pills for the elderly

Drug therapy of atherosclerosis in the elderly is aimed at lowering elevated cholesterol levels, preventing the development of diabetes mellitus, correcting metabolic processes and treating concomitant diseases.

The drugs are selected individually. There may be tablets, injectable forms. Groups of drugs for the treatment of atherosclerotic changes in old age:

1. Means that impede the absorption of cholesterol. Cholestyramine, Gemfibrozil and analogs adsorb lipid compounds. Plant absorbents are used - Guarem, β-sitosterol. A feature is that drugs can contribute to the development of dyspepsia, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
2. Means that reduce the production of its own cholesterol in the liver tissues are drugs of the statins and fibrates groups. Typical representatives are Mevakor, Zokor, Leskol, Torvakard, Clofibrat. Against the background of prolonged use, muscle weakness, renal failure, and inflammatory processes in the liver may develop. The drugs in the fibrate group have fewer side effects. In the treatment of atherosclerosis, it is recommended to use drugs of both groups.
3. Means to help evacuate cholesterol from the body. Unsaturated fatty acids have a similar effect. Typical representatives are Linetol, Tribuspamin, Octolipen, Tiogamma, Omakor, Eikonol.
4. Endotheliotropic drugs - reduce the amount of lipids in the structures of blood vessels, have an angioprotective effect, improve the nutrition of the vascular wall. The doctor will prescribe Anginin, Vasoprostan, vitamin complexes. Side effects groups are nausea, defecation disorders, changes in heart rhythm.

Additionally, long courses of blood thinners are shown. A budget option- acetylsalicylic acid. In case of complications, "Warfarin" is indicated.

The drugs are prescribed by the doctor based on the diagnosis, age and concomitant diseases of the patient. Self-purchase of medicines at the pharmacy will hurt.

Prevention of the appearance in old age

Complex preventive measures divided into primary (performed in healthy patients without preliminary examination) and secondary (in persons diagnosed with atherosclerosis).

The diet should be enriched with cereals, vegetables and fruits, vegetable fats, fish, soups in vegetable broth. Eat lean meat. Drink plenty of fluids.

The second direction is to get rid of bad habits. Smoking promotes the accumulation of lipids on the walls of blood vessels. Medical statistics show that quitting smoking reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by 50%.

Adequate physical activity contributes to the improvement of vascular trophism, acceleration of metabolic processes and the breakdown of lipids supplied with food.

In old age the best choice will become a complex of exercise therapy. At the initial stage, the exercises should be performed under the guidance of medical worker... After - at home, every day.

There is a recommendation in the sources for the use of small doses of alcohol for the prevention of atherosclerosis. But the systematic intake of alcohol in old age contributes to the development of liver fibrosis, impaired cerebral circulation. Medicines used to lower cholesterol are incompatible with ethanol.

Secondary

Secondary prevention measures are carried out for patients diagnosed with atherosclerosis. They help to improve vascular trophism, stabilize the patient's condition, stop conditions that provoke a further increase in the number of fibrous plaques in the cardiovascular system.

The list of activities includes:

• taking medications that thin the blood;
• decrease in the level of low density lipoproteins;
• normalization of blood pressure indicators - above 140/90 mm. rt. Art.

With a confirmed diagnosis, adherence to the principles of rational nutrition, adequate physical activity, and body weight correction are shown.

Senile atherosclerosis is a disease, the prevention and prevention of which is easier than treatment. You need to start from the moment the first lipid stripes form on the walls of blood vessels. The concept of "old age" does not mean a miserable existence and a rejection of the joys of life. It is in the power of everyone to preserve a bright mind and a reasonable view of the world in old age.

It is no coincidence that atherosclerosis is considered a disease of old age. According to doctors, after 50 years, the tendency of blood vessels to overgrow with lipid (cholesterol) plaques increases significantly, although younger people are not 100% insured against an insidious ailment. However, atherosclerosis in the elderly, as a rule, is characterized by a more severe course, and the risk of negative "side effects" from the use of a number of medications is higher.

The subject of this article will be vascular atherosclerosis, symptoms and treatment in the elderly, features of the course of the disease in adulthood, possible ways prevention.

Reasons for the appearance

As a rule, atherosclerosis in the elderly is caused by concomitant ailments formed by unhealthy habits, as well as general wear and tear of the body. Most often, symptoms of the disease are observed in adults under the following circumstances:

• High blood pressure.
• Overweight and / or obesity.
• Low mobility of the daily lifestyle.
• Addiction to tobacco and alcohol.
• Intemperance in nutrition, preference for heavy meat, fatty, sweet dishes, causing excessive blood density and the formation of atherosclerotic deposits inside the vascular walls.
• Unhealthy heredity, when weak blood vessels are passed from older generations to younger ones.

Forms of development of the disease

Depending on the location of the vessels affected by lipid plaques, atherosclerosis in the elderly can have different symptoms.

Most often, there are three forms of atherosclerotic vascular pathology:

1. Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels.
2. Sclerotic pathology of the coronary vessels.
3. Atherosclerosis of the lower extremities.

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels

Most often occurs in an elderly person. The specificity of this disease is a violation of the blood flow inside the vessels that feed the brain, functions are impaired. nervous system, there are frequent cases of strokes and neuropsychological abnormalities.

Symptoms of the disease usually look like this:

• Difficulty with mental concentration.
• There is a deterioration in the quality of memory.
• Difficulty speaking is sometimes present.
• Decreased visual acuity.
• Chronic fatigue appears, inability to the previous work rhythm.

These are the initial signs of cerebral atherosclerosis. If you ignore them, the disease takes on a pronounced form that has a high risk of stroke.

Cerebral hemorrhage carries grave consequences for the patient in the form of long-term disability and sometimes death.

Symptoms of severe atherosclerosis look different:

1. There is paralysis of various parts of the body of varying severity.
2. There is increased anxiety, up to a paranoid state.
3. Prolonged insomnia.
4. Sudden mood swings.
5. Psychopathic conditions: it seems to the patient that he is being persecuted, self-diagnosed with serious ailments.

In the absence of competent treatment, the clinic of the disease takes on a third form: senile dementia, that is, severe dementia.

Atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart

With atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary vessels in the primary stage of the disease, patients often feel relatively healthy.

As the disease progresses, the symptoms are similar to that observed with coronary heart disease:

• Sharp pain in the chest area, often extending to the shoulder joint or spine.
• Shortness of breath, feeling of lack of air even with a slow measured step.
• Feeling of dizziness, hypoxia, weakness.

In the absence of timely treatment, the pathology carries the risk of serious interruptions in the supply of food and oxygen to the heart muscle, acute myocardial infarction, and, as a result, the death of the patient.

Lower limb atherosclerosis

Often occurs in persons over 45-50 years of age due to age-related changes in the structure of vascular tissues. Typical symptoms of pathology:

1. A feeling of bursting pain in the calves, especially during movement and towards evening. With the acceleration of movement, the pain becomes more pronounced.
2. A feeling of stiffness in the muscles of the calves and thighs during dynamics, which has received the medical name "intermittent claudication."
3. Blanching skin legs, loss of sensitivity to varying degrees (ischemia).

If the disease is not treated on time, as well as with complete blockage of the arterial lumen, irreversible tissue changes - gangrene can be observed. In this case, limb amputation is necessary.

Diagnostic measures

To determine the presence of atherosclerosis, the patient is referred for a comprehensive medical examination.

Depending on the localization of the vessel affected by plaques, research methods may be different, but most often the following measures are prescribed:

• A blood test for biochemical composition, with the help of which the cholesterol level and other important indicators are established.
• USDG - scanning - helps to determine the degree of damage to the vessel, the area of ​​localization of plaques.
• X-ray examination is an invasive method, when a radiopaque substance injected into a vessel displays the state of the venous or arterial walls, the degree of occlusion (blockage), and the intensity of blood flow.
• Ultrasound - a study - shows the impaired patency of a vein or artery using ultrasound signals.

Preventive measures

Prevention of atherosclerosis in old age differs little from general recommendations to prevent illness. Patients are advised to:

1. Change dietary habits, remove from the diet all foods that carry "bad" cholesterol: fatty meat and dishes from it, canned food, spicy foods, pickles, strong tea and coffee, sweets, bananas and grapes. The diet should be based on cereals, lean meats, fruits and vegetables with a low sugar content, and plenty of water.
2. Get in the habit of taking daily walks in the open air. The length of the boardwalk and the amount of traffic must be adjusted according to age and health.
3. The same recommendations apply to physical activity. If health permits, gentle sports exercises are useful, and in case of serious vascular lesions, especially of the heart and brain, this issue must be resolved with a doctor.
4. Give up unhealthy smoking and alcohol habits. Here, perhaps, lengthy explanations will be superfluous.

Therapy

Treatment of atherosclerosis in the elderly involves a complex of drugs, the action of which is aimed at reducing the production of cholesterol by the body, strengthening the vascular walls, and preventing accelerated blood thickening.

• To lower lipoprotein levels, lecithin and omega-3 fatty acids are prescribed.
• In order to suppress the enzymes that produce "bad" cholesterol, it is recommended to take statin drugs: Lescol Forte, Roxera, Liptonorm.
• To lower blood cholesterol and prevent the formation of lipid plaques, fibrates are prescribed: Crestor, Atomax, Rosucard.
• To strengthen the vascular walls, vitamins are prescribed: Rutin, Ascorbic acid, B vitamins.
• To prevent accelerated blood clotting and the appearance of blood clots, anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents can be prescribed: Aspirin, Thrombo ACC, Fraxiparin, Clexan, Fenilin.

If the occlusion (blockage) of a vein or artery has become serious, the vascular lumen is closed by more than 2/3, the patient is prescribed surgical treatment.

Conclusion

Age-related changes do not spare anyone, but it is quite possible to reduce the intensity of atherosclerosis symptoms. It is necessary to carefully review your lifestyle, eradicate bad habits, normalize your diet, periodically undergo a medical examination.

With due attention to the state of health and timely treatment, the symptoms of atherosclerosis can be significantly alleviated, including in the elderly.

). There is a deposition of cholesterol atheromatous seals and plaque formation on the walls of blood vessels. After that, sclerosis sets in - a process in which connective tissue grows in the formations, fixing them in place, and deforming the walls of the vessels.

REFERENCE! In the past 50 years, there has been a popular so-called "cholesterol theory" that consumption is the main cause of atherosclerosis. a large number fatty foods. The theory was not supported by any scientific fact or research, but it lasted long enough.

In early 2010, an experiment was conducted in Canada with the participation of 250 respondents of different age and genetic groups.

The results showed that there is absolutely no relationship between the consumption of fatty foods and the increase in blood cholesterol. Moreover, excessive consumption of fats impairs liver function, as a result of which cholesterol decreases and blood acidity increases.

To see this for yourself, do an experiment - make a list of all the foods you consumed in the day, and then go to the site with an online calorie calculator. We will warn you in advance that the amount of fat will not even exceed the lower limit of the daily norm, but the amount of carbohydrates, especially sugar, will go off scale.

Causes

The doctor will conduct differential diagnostics and prescribe tests, including:

1. Blood lipid profile (the ratio of "good" and "bad" cholesterol).
2. Blood hematocrit (density).
3. Blood sugar.
4. Pancreatic hormones (ghrelin, insulin, glucagon).

Treatment

Treatment of atherosclerosis in the elderly can be both medical and surgical. Therapy consists in normalizing blood density, its lipid parameters.

What drugs the doctor prescribes:

1. Statins, the regular use of which reduces the size of the plaque nucleus, as a result of which the condition improves.

   These include:

   • Simvastatin.
   • Vabadin.
   • Simvakor.
   • Vasilip.
   • Simvacard.
   • Zokor.
   • Vasostat.
   • Simvatin.
2. Fibrates, participate in lipid oxidation, absorbing plaque from the inside.

   List of drugs:

   • Fenofibrate.
   • Cytofibrate.
   • Gemfibrozil.
   • Bezafibrat.
3. Nicotinates, cholesterol-lowering drugs:
   • Enduracin.
   • Nicotinic acid.
   • Niacin.

The operation is prescribed only in cases of a critically serious condition of the patient and is a surgical removal of the plaque.

Prophylaxis

Review your diet and lifestyle. Most of your recovery depends on your attitude to these factors.

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels in the elderly, the symptoms and treatment of which are relevant today. The disease occurs as a result of the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of the blood vessels that feed the brain. This leads to a disruption in the nutrition and activity of the cells of the organ. Mostly elderly people are ill - after reaching the sixty-year mark. Consider its main features, symptoms and treatment of the disease.

Why does the disease appear?

It is a mistake to take changes in the blood supply of the blood vessels of the brain for age-related changes. Naturally, aging is a physiological process, but the pathology is precisely the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels in the elderly. Timely recognition of a disease is a guarantee that it can be cured.

The etiology of the disease is not fully determined. Any pathology that is associated with a violation of fat metabolism in the body, sooner or later leads to an increase in the content of cholesterol in the blood and its deposition on the walls of the vessels of the head in the form of plaques. Obesity is another reason for the development of atherosclerosis, it is not for nothing that it is called the disease of obese people. The reasons for the development of pathology include:

• inactive way of life;
• metabolic disorder;
• diabetes;
• unfavorable heredity;
• some endocrine diseases;
• smoking;
• systematic use of alcohol;
• poor-quality food with a predominance of a large amount of fatty foods rich in cholesterol in the diet.

What's going on in the body?

The pathogenesis of this disease is complex. The development of atherosclerosis in the elderly is based on the following interrelated processes:

• the appearance of a lipid spot on the vessels;
• the formation of fibrous deposits;
• the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque.

A lipid spot forms on the walls of a large vessel. The cells of this object contain lipids and T-lymphocytes. Over time, these spots grow and thicken. Cholesterol at this stage is found mainly inside the cells. Such spots can form even in young people. In the arteries feeding the brain, their appearance may be as early as 40 years of age.

Fibrous plaques grow as the process progresses. In their center, a lipid nucleus is formed. Around such a spot, a focus of connective tissue grows. Due to the vascularization of the pathological focus and the formation of microthrombi, a lining of the plaque is formed. It reduces the lumen of the vessel.

Finally, the further progression of the disease leads to the formation of the so-called complicated plaque, which significantly limits the nutrition of the organ, which is supplied with blood from the affected vessel.

The main manifestations of pathology

Signs of cerebral atherosclerosis are quite diverse. First of all, elderly patients cannot fail to notice memory impairment. They may mistakenly attribute such a sign to "senile forgetfulness." Alas, this is not a norm, but a pathology: nature has arranged our brain in such a way that, in the absence of unfavorable factors (listed above), it works clearly and harmoniously. And just forgetfulness should not be in healthy elderly people.

It is characteristic that the patient forgets recent events (for example, whether the door is locked, what he ate for breakfast, etc.). But he has very vivid memories of the events of the distant past.

Due to the lack of oxygen in the brain tissue, the patient experiences a headache. The intensity of the pain is different, but with overwork it increases. Over time, it becomes permanent and a person gets used to it.

The following symptoms are also noteworthy:

1. 1. Hearing impairment.
2. 2. Speech disorders when a person finds it difficult to express their thoughts.
3. 3. Weakness.
4. 4. Frequent dizziness.
5. 5. Frequent fatigue, which is combined with a feeling of irritability. This is especially noticeable when dealing with people. Excessive suspicion is observed, sometimes reaching the point of absurdity.
6. 6. Sleep disorders. This is not always only insomnia. The patient has difficulty falling asleep, often wakes up in the middle of the night. Nightmares are characteristic. At the same time, such a person feels sleepy during the day.
7. 7. Impaired coordination of movements. Sometimes the patient gags while eating.
8. 8. Absent-mindedness and inability to concentrate on any action.
9. 9. Tendency to depression
10. 10. Decrease emotional background... In this case, the patient overestimates his strength. And he blames others for his failures.

In the later stages of the development of cerebral atherosclerosis, an almost absolute loss of the ability to remember can occur. As a rule, such a person is incapacitated. Dementia may develop. This is a decompensated stage of atherosclerosis. In such cases, the risk of complications is very high.

Complications of the disease

With a transient ischemic attack, the following symptoms are characteristic:

• numbness of the limbs and face;
• dizziness;
• sudden headache;
• sudden impaired coordination of movement;
• hypersensitivity to bright light, as well as loud sounds;
• loss of consciousness (not always);
• deterioration of vision;
• short-term impairments in speech understanding.

With ischemic stroke, there is a complete cessation of blood flow through the clogged vessel that feeds the brain. The following signs are characteristic:

• inability to carry out arbitrary movements in the limbs;
• decrease, and sometimes a complete lack of sensitivity in them;
• speech disorders;
• loss of coordination of movements;
• swallowing disorders.

Signs of hemorrhagic stroke develop rapidly. Characteristic:

• sharp headache;
• vomit;
• sopor or coma;
• vomit;
• hemiparesis;
• violation of coordination of eye movements;
• breathing disorders.

An appropriate diagnosis in cases of complications is possible only in a hospital setting.

Diagnostic features

Remember that the diagnosis of atherosclerosis should be carried out using a comprehensive examination of the body. Often, a specialist can make a diagnosis based on the symptoms of the disease. However, to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis, the doctor resorts to examinations:

• Ultrasound of the coronary vessels;
• duplex scanning;
• dopplerography of intracranial vessels;
• angiography;
• general examination of blood and urine;
• blood biochemistry.

Principles of therapy

Medical treatment of atherosclerosis occurs only in a hospital setting. We strongly discourage patients from self-medication and prescribing medications for themselves based on information obtained from Internet sources. Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor will select an individual treatment regimen for atherosclerosis and prescribe the necessary drugs. As a rule, it is aimed at correcting fat metabolism, blood parameters, blood pressure... Treatment of concomitant pathologies is indicated.

At the same time, the patient is prescribed non-drug treatment. Its main principles are as follows:

1. 1. Diet. The patient needs to give up products such as kidneys, brains, lard, egg yolks, fat meat. It is imperative to eliminate trans fats from your diet. At the same time, it is necessary to enrich the daily table with cabbage, potatoes, oatmeal, soy, and cottage cheese. Animal fats can be replaced with sunflower, olive, corn oil. Useful fish oil, foods containing omega-3 acids.
2. 2. Quitting smoking, alcohol.
3. 3. Physical exercise (light and non-intense) is simply necessary for a person suffering from atherosclerosis. Aerobics, walking, cycling, swimming are useful.
4. 4. Fighting excess weight.
5. 5. Maintaining blood pressure within normal limits. It is important to give up foods and drinks that contribute to his racing.
6. 6. Avoiding stress. To correct neuropsychic arousal under the supervision of a physician, sedatives and antidepressants are prescribed.

It is necessary to establish an optimal working regime. It must be alternated with rest, and it must be productive.

Atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels is common in the elderly. Its timely identification, as well as its early treatment, is a guarantee of preventing life-threatening complications. A healthy image life is the best prevention of atherosclerosis at any age.

Atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels is a common pathology in the elderly, which is characterized by blockage of cerebral arteries with fatty (atherosclerotic) plaques, as a result of which their lumen narrows and the blood supply to the brain tissues is impaired. According to medical statistics, this pathology is most often diagnosed in people over 55-60 years old.

The mechanism of development of pathology and risk factors

At the heart of the development of pathology is the defeat of the walls of the arteries with cholesterol plaques, which protrude into the lumen of the vessel in the form of nodules. Such nodules are layered on top of each other and block the lumen of the artery, as a result of which the blood flows poorly through the vessels and an insufficient amount of oxygen and nutrients is supplied to the brain.

The change in the lumen of cerebral arteries when they are damaged by cholesterol plaques occurs gradually, after which it begins to progress:

• first, the level of atherogenic fats in the blood of an elderly person increases - according to the results of tests, hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia;
• fatty nodules and plaques begin to be deposited on the walls of the arteries;
• the vascular wall affected by plaques becomes inflamed, dense scars form, the size of fatty plaques increases, and they turn into atherosclerotic - dense structure, immobile, insoluble;
• calcium salts are deposited on the surface of atherosclerotic plaques, which leads to stretching of the vessel wall and its rupture, in addition, calcification of plaques is the main cause of thrombosis;
• narrowing of the lumen of the artery or complete blockage of the vessel with plaques and blood clots increases the risk of developing a vessel aneurysm and rupture of the wall;
• as a result of insufficient nutrition and enrichment of the brain with oxygen, acute tissue hypoxia and further necrosis (cerebral infarction or ischemic stroke) gradually develop.

Risk factors

Old age in itself is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries - this is due to the fact that in old people all metabolic processes are slowed down, they lead a sedentary lifestyle, often have chronic diseases that aggravate the problem, eat incorrectly and unbalancedly.

The main reason for the deposition of fatty plaques on the walls of blood vessels is an increased level of low density lipoproteins, triglycerides and so-called atherogenic (harmful) fats.

An increase in blood cholesterol levels is facilitated by:

• hypertonic disease;
• obesity;
• diabetes;
• disorders in the thyroid gland;
• increased blood clotting (thick blood);
• maintaining a sedentary lifestyle;
• smoking and drinking alcohol;
• the predominance of pork, refractory fats, lard, fried and salted in the diet of an elderly person.

In more than half of patients who have been diagnosed with atherosclerosis, concomitant vascular diseases are detected, which aggravate the course of the pathological process - aortic aneurysm, angina pectoris, deep vein thrombosis, thromboembolism.

Clinical signs

Atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries, as an independent pathology, does not cause any clinical signs, the symptoms of pathology occur against the background of circulatory disorders of the brain, which these plaques provoke. Signs of cerebral circulation disorder are divided into acute, that is, those that have arisen for the first time in life, and chronic - they develop and progress over several months or even years.

Important! Frequent headaches that are not relieved by analgesics or disappear for a short time, forgetfulness, surges in blood pressure are the reason for an immediate visit to a neurologist.

What can the symptoms of atherosclerosis in the elderly depend on?

In some elderly people, atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries develops over a decade, while in others, the pathology and blockage of the arteries progresses very quickly - in a few months.

Features of the development of atherosclerosis and the severity of symptoms of cerebrovascular accident depends on several factors:

• the level of cholesterol in the blood - the higher the levels of triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins, the faster atherosclerosis progresses and the more pronounced the symptoms;
• the duration of the existence of hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia - the longer old man lives with this disease and does not apply for medical help, the more intense the symptoms and complications of atherosclerosis will be;
• the place of localization of the pathological process - each cerebral artery is "responsible" for the blood supply to a certain part of the brain, which in turn ensures the work of individual organs and systems - thus, in one patient, breathing and work disorders are more intense of cardio-vascular system, others are robbed of speech, others suffer from complete or partial paralysis.

Methods for diagnosing pathology

To confirm atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries, an elderly person is given a series of diagnostic research which include:

1. Blood tests- extended lipid profile (LDL, triglycerides, cholesterol). By itself, the analysis cannot diagnose atherosclerosis, but it determines how susceptible an elderly person is to strokes and other disorders of cerebral circulation.
2. Doppler ultrasound of the vessels of the head and neck- this diagnostic method is informative only for checking large cerebral arteries.
3. Angiography of cerebral vessels- the study is carried out after intra-arterial injection of a contrast agent into the cervical great vessels. An hour after the administration of contrast, a series of X-rays is taken to the patient, in which areas of narrowing of the arteries, blockages and areas of the brain suffering from hypoxia are clearly visible. This diagnostic method is the most informative in neurology.
4. CT and MRI brain and cervical spine.

Treatment

Treatment of atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries in the elderly is carried out in a comprehensive manner and necessarily implies the elimination of factors that contribute to the deposition of fatty plaques on the walls of the arteries. Therapy includes medication, diet, and surgery.

Important! Treatment of atherosclerosis in the elderly is carried out for life courses 2-3 times a year, the main goal of therapy is to stop the progression of vascular occlusion and prevent life-threatening complications. Complete cure is possible only if the pathology was diagnosed at the earliest stage of development, however, this happens very rarely in elderly patients.

Diet

Elderly people, even in order to prevent atherosclerosis, are advised to adhere to a hypocholesterol diet.

It implies the elimination of unhealthy low-density fats from the diet, namely:

• butter;
• margarine;
• lard, lard;
• hard cheese.

The basis of the diet is vegetables and fruits, nuts, vegetable oils(olive, linseed, pumpkin, corn, sunflower), fatty fish (mackerel, sardine, trout, salmon), herbs, cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, barley, rice). It is recommended to eat in small portions, 5 times a day. It is imperative to drink at least 1-1.5 liters of pure water - this is the best prevention of blood thickening and thrombosis of large vessels.

Drug therapy

• to lower blood cholesterol levels:

1. statins - Simvastatin, Roxera, Atorvastatin, these drugs improve blood circulation in the arteries and dissolve fatty plaques;
2. vitamin E - is a natural antioxidant and, in combination with statins, has a good effect on the vascular wall;
3. omega-3,6,9 fatty acids - the maximum content of fatty varieties in fish, flaxseed oil, refined fish oil.

• Blood thinners- Acetylsalicylic acid, Aspirin cardio, Lospirin, Magnikor. Patients with severe manifestations of cerebrovascular accidents are additionally prescribed Warfarin, Sinkumar.
• Drugs that improve nutrition and blood supply to the brain:

1. Nootropic - Piracetam, Nootropic - Piracetam, Noobut, Nootropil;
2. Cerebroprotectors - Fezam, Cinnarizin;
3. Preparations for the normalization of microcirculation - Cerebrolysin, Cavinton.

• Antihypertensive drugs- since atherosclerosis often develops against a background of hypertension, beta-blockers are prescribed to stabilize blood pressure indicators in elderly patients. Treatment begins in the minimum effective dosage, which can be increased mono no earlier than 10 days later and only with the supervision of a physician.

Surgical intervention

If the cerebral arteries are damaged by atherosclerosis, an elderly person can undergo open surgery - through an artery incision or endovascular - through a puncture under the control of a miniature video camera. The indication for surgery is the lesion of the arteries with plaques by more than 50% of the total diameter of the lumen and the spread of the pathological process to more than 1 major vessel.

If CT or angiography reveals that many vessels are uniformly affected by atherosclerotic plaques, then surgical intervention is inappropriate.

Forecast for life

In the event that atherosclerosis was diagnosed at the initial stage and the main factors in the development of the pathological process were promptly eliminated, the forecasts for the life of an elderly person are very good. In order to prevent the progression of cerebral disorders and maintain blood cholesterol levels within the permissible range, an elderly person must adhere to a diet, lead an active lifestyle, and be sure to monitor blood pressure.