What is atherosclerosis?
Arteriosclerosis, also called atherosclerosis, is a disease that develops slowly and in which fat-like substances are deposited on the walls of arteries. The disease can cause all kinds of cardiovascular diseases.
What causes arteriosclerosis?
The precise cause of arteriosclerosis is unknown, but the condition would presumably start with the damage to the inner wall of a vein. That damage is caused by:
High blood pressure High cholesterol Irritating substances such as nicotine Some diseases such as diabetes
Because of this damage, platelets will accumulate in the damaged area, leading to inflammation. Platelets, consisting of fats and fatty substances, are formed from the accumulations of platelets.
Signs and symptoms of atherosclerosis
Heart
pain and oppressive feeling in the chest (angina pectoris shortness of breath) sweating, nausea, dizziness, light-headedness and palpitations.
Atherosclerosis brain
TIA or stroke with symptoms: dizziness or confusion, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, visual disturbances, loss of vision, difficulty walking, coordination problems in the arms and hands, difficulty speaking or speaking unclearly.
Belly
After the meal dull feeling or cramps in the abdomen, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea or swelling of the abdomen.
Legs
Pain when walking around (intermittent claudication), also known as shop window legs.
Complications of arteriosclerosis
Complications that are the result of the disorder depend on where the arteriosclerosis occurs. They may consist of: angina pectoris, heart attack, a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA), a stroke, so-called display legs, etc.
Treatment of atherosclerosis
Hardening of the arteries can not be cured, but due to an efficient treatment the disease can be delayed or stopped. It is therefore important that you do not smoke, follow a healthy diet and exercise sufficiently. Medications such as cholesterol medications, blood thinners, anticoagulants, blood pressure medications and others can be used to control the risk factors of arteriosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis prevention
You can prevent arteriosclerosis by not smoking, exercise enough, eating healthy and keeping stress under control.