What is the usual prescribed treatment for a blocked artery?

[rossi]

When a person (white male, 60, non-smoker, normal weight) is diagnosed with a 70-80% blockage in one artery, what is the usual protocol after this discovery? Surgery, additional testing, medication, life style changes, anything else? I read, I think on WebMD, that there is a danger of the blockage breaking off and clogging the entire artery? How common is this and is there anything that be done to prevent it from happening? Originally this sounded like a good thing because the breakage will reduce the size of the blockage but then it sounds dangerous. Thanks for your input.

R.T.

[Cleveland Clinic]

Beta blockers, statins and aspirin are the primary medications used to treat these both symptomatic and asymptomatic blockages.  You never want them to break off because clots tend to form in that location causing a complete blockage and a large heart attack.  The aspririn helps with the clots, the statins decrease or hold the prgression of these bockages and the beta blockers decrease the likelihood of them breaking off.  If the medications don't help with your symptoms, than the next step is placing stents to reopen the flow.  Surgery is reserved for the very severe cases where stents can't be easily placed or in patients who have abnormal heart function or diabetes.    

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

my brother in law had one blockage and they went in put a stent, its been a year now hes good, he is 52 years old happen when he was 51 so i guess just to have one blockage is good after years and years eating fast food like he did. am going for a stress/nuclear tomorrow and am scared to death to , first i dont want to do it and hope and pray they find nothing .

was yours found on a nuclear test? and what has your dr said they going to do with it . keep in touch we are here to talk if you want to.