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Tuesday, 03 April 2018 16:27

Atherosclerosis: Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Health Complications Featured

Atherosclerosis, or arteriosclerotic vascular disease, is a disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other parts of your body.

Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows your arteries. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body.

Atherosclerosis can lead to serious problems, including heart attack, stroke, other cardiovascular diseases, or even death.

Atherosclerosis can lead to serious problems, including:

Symptoms

The symptoms of the disease depend on which arteries are affected:

  • Carotid Arteries
    Carotid arteries provide blood to the brain, when the blood supply is limited patients can suffer stroke and may experience:
    • Weakness
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Headache
    • Facial numbness
    • Paralysis
  • Coronary Arteries
    Coronary arteries provide blood to the heart, when the blood supply to the heart is limited it can cause angina and heart attack, symptoms include:
    • Vomiting
    • Extreme anxiety
    • Chest pain
    • Coughing
    • Feeling faint
  • Renal Arteries
    Renal arteries supply blood to the kidneys; if the blood supply becomes limited, there is a serious risk of developing chronic kidney disease, and the patient may experience:
    • Loss of appetite
    • Swelling of the hands and feet
    • Difficulty concentrating
  • Peripheral arterial disease
    The arteries to the limbs, usually the legs, are blocked. The most common symptom is leg pain, either in one or both legs, usually in the calves, thighs or hips. The pain may be described as one of heaviness, cramp, or dullness in the leg muscles. Other symptoms may include:
    • Hair loss on legs or feet
    • Male impotence (erectile dysfunction)
    • Numbness in the legs
    • The color of the skin on the legs change
    • The toenails get thicker
    • Weakness in the legs

Risk Factors

  • High Blood Pressure
  • High levels of cholesterol
  • Smoking
  • High levels of sugar in the blood
  • Diabetes
  • Genetics – people with a parent or sibling who has had atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease are at a much higher risk

Complications

Atherosclerosis can lead to many health complications, including:

Being proactive and living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent or delay atherosclerosis and its related diseases. Your risk for atherosclerosis increases with the number of risk factors you have.

Living a healthy lifestyle includes:

  • Heart-healthy eating - adopt healthy eating habits, which include eating different fruits and vegetables, beans and peas, whole grains, lean meats, poultry without skin, seafood, and fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products. A heart-healthy diet is low in sodium, added sugar, solid fats, and refined grains.
  • Increase your activity level - Be as physically active as you can. You need at least five days a week of moderate aerobic exercise.
  • Quit smoking - If you smoke, quit. Smoking can damage and tighten blood vessels and raise your risk for atherosclerosis. Click here to read how smoking affects your health.
  • Lose weight – If you’re overweight or obese, you are at higher risk for atherosclerosis. Work with your doctor on a weight loss plan.

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your doctor may prescribe medicines to control your atherosclerosis risk factors. Take all of your medicines as your doctor advises.

 

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