Atherosclerosis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis And Treatment

What is Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which ‘plaque’ builds up inside your arteries. Arteries carry oxygenated blood to your heart and other parts of the body.

Plaque is form from fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances present in the blood. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows your arteries, limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of the body.

Atherosclerosis can be of different types, including coronary artery, renal artery, peripheral artery, carotid artery. Symptoms of atherosclerosis can vary depending on its type.

Atherosclerosis is a common problem related to aging. By age 40, there is a 50% chance of developing severe atherosclerosis. The risk increases with age. People over the age of 60 are more likely to develop atherosclerosis, but the symptoms are often not visible.

Several treatment options exist for atherosclerosis. If left untreated, it can lead to serious problems, such as heart attack, stroke or death. Lifestyle changes can also be made as part of the treatment of atherosclerosis. Along with this, medications and medical procedures may also be need.

Worldwide, a large number of young people show no symptoms of atherosclerosis. You will be surprise to know the heart condition of 262 healthy people involved in a 2001 study, which is as follows –

• 52% had problems with atherosclerosis, but very few.
• The disease was present in 85% of people over the age of 50.
• 17% of adolescents were also suffering from this disease.

Atherosclerosis Symptoms

The initial symptoms of atherosclerosis can begin during adolescence. They can also develop as streaks of white blood cells that appear on the artery wall. There are no symptoms until the plaque breaks off or there is too much blood flow. It usually takes many years for this to happen.

The symptoms of atherosclerosis depend on which arteries are affect, the main ones being the following:

Carotid arteries

Patients may have a stroke and may experience weakness, difficulty breathing, headache, numbness of the face, paralysis (paralysis).

Coronary arteries

This problem can cause and create angina (chest pain) and heart attack. Symptoms include vomiting, extreme anxiety, chest pain, cough, and fainting.

Renal artery

The patient may experience loss of appetite, swelling of the hands and feet, and difficulty concentrating.

Peripheral arterial disease

Pain may be due to heaviness, cramping or relaxation of the leg muscles. Other symptoms include hair loss in the legs, male impotence (erectile dysfunction), numbness in the feet, changes in the color of the skin on the feet, thickening of the toe nails, and weakness in the legs.

Causes of Atherosclerosis

‘Atherosclerosis’ is a slowly progressing disease, which can start in childhood. Although the exact cause is not known, the disease can be trigger by damage or injury to the inner lining of the artery. Damage to the inner lining of an artery can occur due to the following reasons –

• High blood pressure
• Occurs High cholesterol
• High triglycerides (a type of fat (lipid) present in the blood)
• Smoking and other sources of tobacco
• Insulin resistance, obesity or diabetes
• Inflammation caused by diseases, such as arthritis, lupus or infection or inflammation of unknown cause, etc.

When the inner surface of an artery is damage, blood cells and other materials begin to collect there. In addition, over time, fatty deposits (plaques) made of cholesterol and other cellular byproducts begin to accumulate at the site of the injury, making the arteries hard and narrow. This prevents enough blood from getting to the organs and tissues connected to the blocked arteries to function properly. The plaque can eventually break off into pieces and enter the bloodstream.

Regardless, the loose layer of plaque can break down and mix cholesterol and other substances in the blood. This can lead to a blood clot, which can block blood flow to a specific part of the body. For example, blockage of blood flow to your heart can lead to a heart attack. The blood clot can travel to other parts of your body and block blood flow.

Risk factors for atherosclerosis

Arteries harden over time. In addition to increasing age, factors that increase the risk of atherosclerosis include:

• High BP
• Occurs High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Smoking and use of other sources of tobacco
• A family history of early heart disease
• Lack of exercise
• Unbalanced diet etc.

Prevention of Atherosclerosis

Making lifestyle changes can help prevent and treat atherosclerosis. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes in the early stages of atherosclerosis. Lifestyle changes include the following:

• Eating a healthy diet which is low in saturated fat and cholesterol
• Avoiding fatty foods
• Including fish in your diet twice a week and try to eat it.
• Exercising for 30 to 60 minutes daily
• If you smoke, quit the habit of smoking.
• If you are overweight, lose weight.
• Dealing with stress
• Treating some worse conditions and it associating with atherosclerosis, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Diagnosis of Atherosclerosis

During a physical exam diagnosing of this problem, your doctor may find signs of narrowed, enlarged, or hardened arteries, including:

• A weak or absent pulse (pulse) below the narrowed area of   your artery
• Low blood pressure in the affected limb
• Hearing a rustling sound from your arteries when listened with a stethoscope

Based on the gating results of the physical exam of your problem, your doctor may suggest one or more tests, including the following:

Blood test

Blood tests can detect an increase in cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Doppler ultrasound

This ultrasound can help your doctor find any blockages and speed of blood flow in the arteries.

Ankle-brachial index

Through this test, it can be present out whether there is atherosclerosis in the arteries located in your leg. Your doctor can compare the blood pressure in your ankle with the blood pressure in your arm. This is known as the ‘ankle-brachial index’.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An electrocardiogram records the electrical signals passing through your heart. A past heart attack can be detect by ECG.

Stress test

Stress test is also called ‘exercise stress test’. It is use to measure how well your heart is working during physical activity. An exercises of the stress test usually involves like walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle to find stress level of your brain. Your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing are monitor during these activities.

Cardiac catheterization and angiogram

This test can show whether your coronary arteries have narrowed.

Other imaging tests

The doctor may also use ultrasound, a computerized tomography/CT scan or magnetic resonance angiography (MRI) to study your arteries. These tests can look for hardened and narrowed large arteries and aneurysms and calcium deposits in the inner surface of the artery.

Atherosclerosis Treatment

Lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise, are often the most appropriate treatment for atherosclerosis. Sometimes medication or surgical procedures may also be recommend.

Drugs for atherosclerosis

Many medicines can reduce or eliminate the effects of atherosclerosis. Here are some common options:

Cholesterol drugs

Using them, the amount of harmful cholesterol in the body is reduce, and therefore the “bad cholesterol” in the body can be reduce. This can slow or stop the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. These medications increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which can also help increase “good” cholesterol in the body. Your doctor can prescribe several cholesterol medications, including statins and fibrates. In addition to lowering cholesterol, statins help stabilize the surface of the heart’s arteries and prevent atherosclerosis.

Anti-platelet drugs

Your doctor may suggest anti-platelet medications, such as aspirin. These drugs can reduce the chances of platelets forming in narrow arteries, forming a blood clot, and causing blockages.

Beta blockers drugs

These drugs are mostly using for treating coronary artery disease. They lower your heart rate and blood pressure and relieve symptoms of chest pain. Beta blockers reduce the risk of heart attack and heart palpitations.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

These drugs can slow the progression of atherosclerosis by lowering blood pressure and producing a positive effect on the heart arteries. Simultaneously, ACE inhibitors can reduce the risk of recurrence of heart attack.

Calcium channel blocker

These drugs lower blood pressure and are sometimes use to treat angina.

Diuretic pills (water pills)

High blood pressure it can cause and it is major risk factor for atherosclerosis. Diuretic pills lower blood pressure.

Other medicines

Sometime your doctor may prescribe some general and certain medications to control risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as diabetes. Sometimes general pain reliver or some specific medications are prescribing to treat symptoms of atherosclerosis, such as leg pain during exercise.

Surgery for atherosclerosis

Sometimes more effective treatments are need to treat atherosclerosis. The following surgical procedures may be helpful for severe symptoms involving damage to muscle or skin tissue:

Angioplasty and stent placement

A mesh tube (stent) is usually insert into the artery to help keep it open.

Endarterectomy

In some cases, it is necessary to surgically remove the fatty deposits from the surface of the narrowed artery. The procedure perform on the arteries located in the neck (carotid arteries) is called ‘carotid endarterectomy’.

Fibrinolytic therapy

If one of your arteries is block by a blood clot, the doctor may use a clot-dissolving drug to get it out of the artery.

Bypass surgery

The doctor may use a vein in another part of your body to bypass a graft (bypass) or create a tube out of synthetic fabric. This tube helps blood flow around a blocked or narrowed artery.

Along with the above, you can do yoga and other exercises to reduce your stress and calm the mind. These can lower your blood pressure temporarily, which can reduce your risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis Complications

Coronary artery disease

When atherosclerosis narrows the arteries near your heart, coronary artery disease can develop. It can cause chest pain (angina), heart attack or heart failure.

Carotid artery disease

When atherosclerosis narrows the arteries near your brain, you can develop carotid artery disease. This can lead to a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.

Peripheral artery disease

When atherosclerosis becomes narrower and these arteries are in the arms or legs, circulation problems can develop in the arms and legs. This is called peripheral artery disease. This can make you less sensitive to heat and cold, increasing the risk of cold burns or numbness. In rare cases, poor blood circulation in the arms or legs can lead to tissue destruction (gangrene).

Aneurysm

Atherosclerosis can also cause aneurysms. This is a serious complication, which can happen anywhere in your body. An aneurysm is a bulge in the surface of your artery. Most people with an aneurysm do not have any symptoms. There may be pain and throbbing in the part of the aneurysm. It requires immediate treatment.

Chronic kidney disease

Atherosclerosis can narrow the arteries leading to your kidneys and prevent oxygen-rich blood from reaching your kidneys. Over time, this can affect your kidney function and prevent waste products from leaving the body.

What to avoid during Atherosclerosis

Quit Smoking – You can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by quitting the habit of smoking.

Stay away from fatty foods – Eat a balanced diet, which contains very little amount of fat and cholesterol.

Control Weight – Regular exercise is good for your heart.

Avoid high blood pressure and diabetes.

What to eat during atherosclerosis

• Whole grains and flax seeds
• Beans, such as gram, kidney beans, beans
• Berries, such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries
• Dried fruits, such as figs, apples and peaches
• Omega-3 fatty acids -These are present in fatty fish, such as wild salmon (fresh or canned), herring, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and rainbow trout Apart from these, eggs, flax seeds, walnuts are other sources of omega-3.
• Mono-unsaturated fats are mainly present in olive oil and canola oil.
• Garlic – It also acts as a powerful antioxidant. It affects LDL cholesterol and lowers triglycerides.

Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds