Once atherosclerotic lesions have started to form, the affected arteries cannot completely return to normal. Therefore treatment is aimed at delaying the progression of the disease as long as possible, and at reducing symptoms caused by the ongoing narrowing of arteries. Analyzing all the causes and eliminating them are the first steps in treatment.

However, once an artery is partially obstructed, only three treatment options are available: replacing the artery, dilating it or using anticoagulants (anti-clotting agents). Only surgery allows the replacement of arterial sections (as with a coronary bypass). But this should be considered only in extremely serious conditions where medical treatment is no longer effective. Dilation is obtained with drugs acting on the artery muscles, relaxing them so as to allow greater blood flow. However, given the fact that AS hardens the artery walls, this therapy has proven less effective than expected. There is, in fact, a procedure called angioplasty, where a small ”balloon” is inserted in the artery and then inflated. The pressure exerted by the swelling compresses the obstruction against the artery wall, allowing blood to flow through again.

But the most common, most generally practiced method is making the blood more thin, or fluid.  The anticoagulant effect (the ability to reduce clotted blood) of some substances has been known for a long time, but is limited by the risks of excessive anticoagulant (anticlotting) action. In recent years the use of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), or aspirin, which prevents platelet aggregation has solved this problem.  A dosage of aspirin is effective enough to prevent clotting, but low enough to be well-tolerated and has practically no side effects.