Arteriosclerosis Definition : What Is Arteriosclerosis?

What is atherosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis is a natural process. When we become older, more and more fat and other substances to the inside of our arteries paste. That accumulation of substances called arteriosclerosis. The blood flow can therefore worse. After decades this will lead to cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in the Netherlands. But by living healthy, you can greatly reduce the risks to yourself.

After a long time an artery can become blocked almost completely by a plug of fat and other substances. A part of the body to receive too little blood. The clot in the artery can suddenly come loose. He then washes the blood, and connect a piece away suddenly an artery completely. For example, this causes a heart attack or stroke.

Another risk is that the blood vessels weakened by atherosclerosis. The blood vessel is then just wider rather than narrower. This is called an aneurysm. An aneurysm can rupture, the blood flowing in your body. That is usually fatal.

Another name for arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis. Atheria means artery, sclerosis refers to the hard bulges in the artery wall.

What you notice arteriosclerosis?

As long as your arteries are still relatively open, you do not notice much of arteriosclerosis.
On a more serious blockage hear complaints such as shortness of breath, chest pain and leg pain. You will notice this if you are exercising or walking, or climbing stairs. The ordinary everyday things are getting tiring.

The exact consequences of arteriosclerosis depends on the place:

1. A narrowing in the coronary artery gives chest pain on exertion (angina pectoris). You run risk of getting a heart attack.
2. By a narrowing in the carotid artery, you can get a cerebrovascular accident (stroke) or TIA (transient ischemic attack). The brains then get enough blood.
3. A narrowing in the arteries to the legs gives fatigue and pain when walking. This is called claudication.

How do you prevent arteriosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis can not be avoided altogether, it is a natural process associated with aging. But you can do something to slow down the process considerably. The most important advice is to live healthy.

1. Give up smoking.
2. Prevent high blood pressure.
3. Eat healthy, varied and not too fatty.
4. Please note that your cholesterol is too high.
5. Exercise regularly, at least half an hour per day.
6. Avoid severe stress.
7. Avoid becoming overweight, the greater waist circumference, the greater the risk of atherosclerosis.

People with kidney disease, diabetes or inherited high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) are particularly susceptible to atherosclerosis. For them above precepts therefore especially important.

Arteriosclerosis treatment

Atherosclerosis can be treated in three ways. Which way is best depends on how much the arteriosclerosis is and where he is.

1. The constriction in the artery is not too severe, and gives few symptoms. By walking exercise, you will feel better. Some people also receive blood-thinning medications.
2. The narrowing gives more complaints. You get a balloon dilatation (angioplasty). Your doctor tries artery 'to stretch' with a balloon. This is not a difficult operation.
3. The narrowing gives serious complaints. Then, an operation is required. With a narrowing of the carotid artery, this is usually the "scraping," or the widening of the narrowed artery piece. In other clogged arteries, the surgeon makes a detour to the blood: a bypass. How the operation is heavy, depends on where the constriction is.