MANILA, Philippines?While today?s cardiologists enjoy an impressive array of options to treat their heart patients, it seems the relatively less expensive and uncomplicated regimen to reverse atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) could prove to be the most effective, long-term solution against heart disease. These advanced treatment options include coronary artery bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty and stent implantation, plus many sophisticated high-tech tests.

?It (reversing atherosclerosis) treats the underlying causes of cholesterol accumulation and plaque rupture that blocks blood flow to the heart, which may lead to chest pains, heart attacks and sudden deaths,? said cardiologist John Añonuevo of the Philippine General Hospital.

Speaking before the recent 12th joint annual convention of the Philippine Society of Hypertension and the Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society, Añonuevo presented the new findings of Asteroid (A Study To Evaluate the effect of Rosuvastatin On Intravascular ultrasound-Derived coronary atheroma burden) that shows aggressive use of a cholesterol-lowering drug, rosuvastatin (Crestor), significantly reverses atherosclerosis and its potentially fatal risks.

A possibility

?It?s now a possibility that we finally found the drug that reverses atherosclerosis. Previous studies have established that progress can be delayed and even halted, but regression has never been convincingly documented until the Asteroid,? he said.

Asteroid treated 507 coronary disease patients with rosuvastatin 40 mg/day for 24 months and used two different imaging techniques to measure different segments of the coronary arteries.

Both imaging techniques showed reduction of fatty material deposits on the inner lining of the arterial wall (otherwise known as plaque).

Rosuvastatin, which is manufactured by AstraZeneca, has long been used along with a proper diet to help lower triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood. The study?s positive results enabled the drug to be recently approved as an adjunct to diet to slow the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with elevated cholesterol.

Añonuevo added that results of Asteroid report a novel discovery and should bound to stir debate and further research.

Cholesterol accumulation

Atherosclerosis is the process of cholesterol accumulation, along with inflammation, scarring and calcification (hardening) of the coronary arteries that lead to plaque rupture and heart attack or narrowing that causes chest pain.

?It is a long process brought about by not dealing with high cholesterol levels, smoking, excess weight, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, diabetes and stress,? Añonuevo said.

The doctor added that atherosclerosis usually doesn?t cause signs and symptoms until it severely narrows or totally blocks an artery.

?Most victims never knew they were at risk and never sought any kind of treatment. Unfortunately, the way many individuals find out about the severity of their atherosclerosis is when they already suffer a heart attack,? he said.

How to tell if one has a developing atherosclerosis? Añonuevo shared some risk factors:

? Being a smoker;

? Suffering from high blood pressure and high cholesterol;

? Having a family history of atherosclerosis or heart disease;

? Having a sedentary lifestyle;

? Being obese or diabetic.