A Specific Problem That Atherosclerosis Can Cause Is

What is atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis thickening or hardening of the arteries. Information technology is caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery.

Normal artery and artery with plaque buildup

Plaque is made upwardly of deposits of fat substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin. As it builds upward in the arteries, the avenue walls get thickened and stiff.

Atherosclerosis is a wearisome, progressive affliction that may start every bit early equally childhood. Yet, it can progress rapidly.

What causes atherosclerosis?

It'southward not clear exactly how atherosclerosis starts or what causes it. Nevertheless, a gradual buildup of plaque or thickening due to inflammation occurs on the inside of the walls of the avenue. This reduces claret flow and oxygen supply to the vital trunk organs and extremities.

What are the take a chance factors for atherosclerosis?

Risk factors for atherosclerosis, include:

High cholesterol and triglyceride levels
High claret pressure
Smoking
Blazon 1 diabetes
Obesity
Physical inactivity
Loftier saturated fatty diet

What are the symptoms of atherosclerosis?

Signs and symptoms of atherosclerosis may develop gradually, and may exist few, every bit the plaque gradually builds up in the artery. Symptoms may also vary depending on the affected artery. However, when a major artery is blocked, signs and symptoms may be severe, such every bit those occurring with heart attack, stroke, or blood jell.

The symptoms of atherosclerosis may look similar other heart conditions. Come across your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

How is atherosclerosis diagnosed?

First, your dr. will do a complete medical history and concrete exam. You lot may also take 1 or more of these tests:

Cardiac catheterization.With this procedure, a long sparse tube (catheter) is passed into the coronary arteries. X-rays are taken after a dye is injected into an avenue to locate the narrowing, blockages, and other abnormalities of specific arteries.
Doppler sonography.A special probe is used to direct audio waves into a blood vessel to evaluate blood flow. An audio receiver amplifies the sound of the blood moving though the vessel. Faintness or absence of sound may hateful there is a blockage. This is used to identify narrowing of the claret vessels of the abdomen, neck, or legs.
Blood force per unit area comparing. Comparing claret pressure measurements in the ankles and in the artillery helps determine any constriction in claret period. Significant differences may mean blood vessels are narrowed due to atherosclerosis.
MUGA/radionuclide angiography.This is a nuclear scan to meet how the heart wall moves and how much blood is expelled with each heartbeat, while the person is at residue.
Thallium/myocardial perfusion scan.This is a nuclear scan given while the person is at balance or after do that may reveal areas of the eye muscle that are not getting enough blood.
Computerized tomography or CT.This is a type of Ten-ray test that can see if there is coronary calcification that may advise a time to come heart problem.

How is atherosclerosis treated?

Treatment for atherosclerosis may include lifestyle changes, medicine, and surgery.

Lifestyle changes

You lot can change some risk factors for atherosclerosis such as smoking, loftier cholesterol levels, high blood saccharide (glucose) levels, lack of exercise, poor dietary habits, and high blood pressure level.

Medicines

Medicines that may be used to care for atherosclerosis include:

Antiplatelet medicines.These are medicines used to decrease the power of platelets in the blood to stick together and cause clots. Aspirin, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, and dipyridamole are examples of antiplatelet medicines.
Anticoagulants.Also called blood thinners, these medicines work differently from antiplatelet medicines to decrease the ability of the blood to clot. Warfarin and heparin are examples of anticoagulants.
Cholesterol-lowering medicines.These are medicines used to lower fats (lipids) in the blood, peculiarly low density lipid (LDL) cholesterol. Statins are a group of cholesterol-lowering medicines. They include simvastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin among others. Bile acrid sequestrants—colesevelam, cholestyramine and colestipol—and nicotinic acid are other types of medicine that may be used to reduce cholesterol levels. Your doctor may likewise prescribe fibrates to help amend your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Claret pressure medicines.Several different groups of medicines deed in different means to lower blood pressure.

Coronary angioplasty

With this procedure, a long thin tube (catheter) is thread through a blood vessel to the heart. There, a balloon is inflated to create a bigger opening in the vessel to increase blood flow. Although angioplasty is done in other blood vessels elsewhere in the body, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) refers to angioplasty in the coronary arteries to permit more than claret menstruum into the eye. At that place are several types of PCI procedures, including:

Airship angioplasty.A small balloon is inflated inside the blocked artery to open up the blocked expanse.
Atherectomy.The blocked area inside the artery is shaved abroad past a tiny device on the stop of a catheter.
Laser angioplasty.A laser used to vaporize the blockage in the artery.
Coronary artery stent.A tiny mesh coil is expanded inside the blocked artery to open the blocked area and is left in place to keep the artery open.

Coronary artery bypass

Most unremarkably referred to as featherbed surgery, this surgery is ofttimes done in people who accept angina (chest pain) due to coronary artery illness (where plaque has built upwards in the arteries). During the surgery, a bypass is created by grafting a piece of a healthy vein from elsewhere in the body and attaching information technology above and beneath the blocked area of a coronary artery. This lets blood flow around the blockage. Veins are usually taken from the leg or from the chest wall. Sometimes more than one artery needs to be bypassed during the same surgery.

What are the complications of atherosclerosis?

Plaque buildup inside the arteries reduces the claret flow. A heart attack may occur if the blood supply is reduced to the centre. A damaged heart muscle may not pump as well and can lead to heart failure. A stroke may occur if the blood supply is cutting off to the brain. Severe pain and tissue death may occur if the blood supply is reduced to the arms and legs.

Can atherosclerosis be prevented?

Yous can prevent or delay atherosclerosis by reducing risk factors. This includes adopting a good for you lifestyle. A salubrious diet, losing weight, beingness physically agile, and not smoking can aid reduce your risk of atherosclerosis. A healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, skinless chicken, seafood, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. A healthy nutrition also limits sodium, refined sugars and grains, and solid fats.

If y'all are at risk for atherosclerosis because of family unit history, or high cholesterol, information technology is important that you take medicines equally directed by your healthcare provider.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

If your symptoms get worse or you have new symptoms, let your healthcare provider know.

Key points of atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is thickening or hardening of the arteries acquired by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an avenue.
Risk factors may include high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, loftier blood pressure level, smoking, diabetes, obesity, concrete activity, and eating saturated fats.
Atherosclerosis can cause a heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, or blood jell.
You lot may demand medicine, treatments, or surgery to reduce the complications of atherosclerosis.

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Source: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/atherosclerosis