Atherosclerosis Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options

Atherosclerosis is also known as arteriosclerotic vascular disease that disrupts the flow of blood around the body, posing the risk of serious complications. Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of arteries due to a buildup of plaque around the artery wall. Arteries are lined with a thin layer of cells that keeps them smooth and allows blood to flow easily which is called the endothelium. Atherosclerosis begins when the endothelium becomes damaged, causing the harmful type of cholesterol to build up in the artery wall. Plaque can build up over time made of cholesterol, macrophages, calcium, and other substances from the blood. Sometimes, after the plaque grows to a certain size stops growing, causing no problems in an individual. Sometimes, the plaque clogs up the artery, disrupting the oxygenated blood flow around the body which makes blood clots more likely, which can result in life-threatening conditions. The plaque eventually breaks open in some cases that cause platelets to gather in the affected area which can stick together, forming blood clots. Blood clots can block the artery, leading to life-threatening complications, such as stroke and heart attack. Atherosclerosis mainly affects the larger, high-pressure arteries.

Symptoms:

First signs of atherosclerosis start developing during adolescence. Mostly there are no symptoms until a plaque ruptures, or the flow of blood is restricted that typically takes many years to occur. The symptoms depend on the arteries that are affected.

Coronary Arteries- The arteries provide blood to the ticker. With limited blood supply to the ticker, angina or heart attack can occur with some of the symptoms being vomiting, extreme anxiety, coughing, chest pain.

Carotid Arteries- The arteries provide blood to the brain. Limited supply of blood can cause stroke and an individual may experience a range of symptoms such as, weakness, difficulty breathing, headache, facial numbness and paralysis as a result of atherosclerosis in this area.

Renal Arteries- The arteries supply blood to the kidneys. Limited blood supply increases the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. An individual with renal artery blockage may experience loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating and swelling of the hands and feet.

Causes:

Factors like high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol, smoking, high sugar levels in the blood can damage the inner area of the artery and lead to atherosclerosis.

Risk Factors:

Individuals with poorly controlled diabetes and who have a parent or sibling with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease are at a higher risk of developing the condition. Exposure to air pollution increases the risk of cholesterol buildup in the coronary arteries.

Complications:

Atherosclerosis can lead to serious complications and can directly contribute to coronary, carotid, and peripheral heart disease which in turn can lead to a range of dangerous complications including heart disease and heart failure, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia and aneurysm.

Treatment Options:

Lifestyle Changes- Focus on managing and maintaining a healthy weight, regularly exercise and eat a healthy diet. Eat foods high in soluble fiber and limit intake of saturated fats, sodium, and alcohol.

Surgery- Surgical procedures, such as angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) may be required to treat severe cases of atherosclerosis.

Medication- Antiplatelet medications are prescribed by doctors to prevent the build up of plaque or prevent blood clots. Statins and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors might also be prescribed to lower cholesterol and blood pressure respectively.

Prevention Tips:

You can limit the risk of plaque buildup by following these steps:

Exercise- Regular exercise will improve fitness levels, help weight loss and keep your blood pressure in check.

Diet- Saturated fats increase levels of bad cholesterol so try to avoid them. Foods like olive oil, walnuts, avocados, oily fish, nuts and seeds are high in unsaturated fats and can help keep bad cholesterol levels down.

Quit Smoking- Smoking is a major atherosclerosis risk factor and also raises blood pressure.

Face out-of-hospital cardiac emergencies efficiently by getting CPR trained today. Contact CPR Nashville in Tennessee on (615) 638-0005 to join a course.