| Atherosclerosis | |||||
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- What is atherosclerosis?
- Symptoms of atherosclerosis
- Causes of atherosclerosis
- Treatment of atherosclerosis
- Important xatherosclerosisxx facts
Atherosclerosis is a condition which causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries when they become blocked with plaque.
Atherosclerosis comes from the Greek words athero (meaning paste or gruel) and sclerosis (hardness).
Arteries are the blood vessels which carry oxygen-rich bloox from the lungs to all the cells of the body and if they become blocked in any way, this prevents the oxygen getting to the cells.
The plaque that builds up in the walls of the arteries (over a period of time) is made up of the following:
- cholesterol
- fatty substances
- calcium
- other substances
The plaque build-up inside the artery wall makes it difficult for flow to flow properly through the arteries.
There are two types of plaque with one even worse than the other:
- Hard and stable - causes the artery walls to thicken and harden, generally stays in the same place in the arteries
- Soft and unstable - this type will often break off from the artery wall and enter the bloodstream where it can cause even more health problems by causing a clot that partially or totally blocks the blood flow. The organ that is served the blood from the blocked artery may become severely damaged or die as a result
Even if a clot doesn't form there could be excessive bleeding into the plaque which can also have serious repercussions.
Artherosceloris can lead to serious diseases and complications that may lead to death, such as heart attack and stroke. Artherosceloris is the leading cause of illness and death in all Western countries.
Sometimes artherosclerosis does not cause any symptoms at all until the condition has progressed to an advanced (and dangerous stage).
If the blockage occurs in the aorta (the heart's main artery) the major symptom is:
- angina - chest pain
If artherosclerosis progresses it can cause heart attack and stroke (especially if it occurs in arteries going to the brain).
Artherosclerosis can occur in those people who have a family history of cardiovascular disease, so they will be predisposed to developing it. Men are also more susceptible to this disease too.
The causes of atherosclerosis which can be controlled (and limited) are the following:
- Cigarette smoking and exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke
- Diabetes mellitus (all types)
- High blood cholesterol (especially LDL or "bad" cholesterol over 100 mg/dL)
- High blood levels of homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia)
- High blood pressure
- High (saturated) fat diet
- Physical inactivity
- Obesity
Research also shows that inflammation in the blood may play a big role in triggering heart attacks and strokes. Inflammation is the body's response to injury, and blood clotting is often part of that response.
Once artherosclerosis is diagnosed (either through angiography or ultrasound), it can be treated by the following methods:
- Dietary changes - reduction in red meat, more vegetables, more "good" fats from fish, olive oil and avocados
- Lifestyle changes - exercise for 30 minutes most days (at least just walking)
- Medications - Warfarin to thin the blood if there is a blood clot, anti-cholesterol medications to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels and others
- Surgery - sometimes surgery will be performed to clear the blockages
Important atherosclerosis facts
- Artherosclerosis can start in childhood!
- Scientists do not yet known exactly what causes atherosclerosis in some people and not others, but one theory proposed is that atherosclerosis starts because the inner most layer of the artery (the endothelium) becomes damaged.
- Artherosclerosis can develop into heart attack and stroke, leading to death from either of these conditions
- While artherosclerosis is a slow clogging of the arteries, that normally affects older people, some people may develop heart attack and stroke even in their 30's due to this condition
references
- Osiecki H. The Physicans Handbook of Clininical Nutrition, 6th Edition. Bioconcepts Publishing QLD, 2001
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