Plaque is made up of cholesterol and fat and can build up in the walls of your arteries. When it appears in the blood vessels outside your heart, you are at risk for developing peripheral artery disease. When plaque builds in the arteries that lead to your brain, you can develop carotid artery disease. Both can be reversed through lifestyle changes and, in serious cases, through surgery.
Signs
Plaque buildup occurs slowly over time. You may not realize you are developing plaque until you start to have symptoms. A mini stroke, or transient ischemic attack is one of the first symptoms of carotid artery disease. With peripheral artery disease, one of the first places you will notice signs of plaque buildup is in your legs, when they begin to feel numb, weak or tired, especially when climbing stairs.
Exercise
A simple walking program, three times a week, can significantly reduce symptoms and start breaking up the plaque in four to eight weeks, advises the American Heart Association. Because walking may be painful if you have peripheral artery disease, alternate exercise with rest and work out in a rehab center where you can be monitored. Lowering your blood pressure through exercise is vital for reversing the effects of blockage in your carotid arteries, notes MayoClinic.com. Engaging in moderately intense exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week will show improvements if your disease is in the early stages.
Lose Weight
Losing weight can help to reverse the plaque buildup in your arteries. A diet high in fat and cholesterol usually is the cause of the plaque buildup. In time, with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight will lower, allowing the plaque to break up so your blood can flow freely through your arteries. The stress of excess weight on your arteries also can lead to serious consequences, such as stroke or heart attack.
Surgery
Once you've had a stroke or the blockage is so severe that your arteries are completely closed up, you may need to undergo surgery to remove the plaque. A carotid endarterectomy removes plaque from your neck arteries. The procedure often is done on an outpatient basis and has a high rate of success, according to MayoClinic.com. An angioplasty or stint procedure is minimally invasive and can successfully remove plaque in the arteries near your heart. A more extensive surgery to treat peripheral artery disease involves rerouting the blood to your leg using another artery.
