Artery of arteries (atherosclerosis) is a process in which the wall of your arteries becomes thickened by calcification. This thickening can lead to constriction of the blood vessel and cause problems with the blood circulation of organs and tissues.
The sign and symptoms you can have depend on the location of the arterial calcification:
Coronary arteries of the heart: a pressing pain in the middle of the chest, radiating to the jaw or left arm. Often sweating, nauseous and clammy.
Large carotid arteries: a stroke manifests itself in deficits (half-sided paralysis) or trouble talking, drooping mouth.
Leg arteries: pain in the legs when walking that changes again when you rest.
There are several studies with which we can determine arterial calcification:
Duplex research: a duplex study is a combination of an ultrasound and a color doppler. We use high-frequency sound waves in an ultrasound. A color doppler measures the flow rate of the blood. With a duplex study we can determine the location and severity of the stenosis.
Walk test: a short walk test in combination with blood pressure measurements on the arm and the ankle. The doctor can determine on the basis of a walking test whether you have a narrowing or closing of the large or medium arteries of your legs.
Exercise ECG: with an exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) we measure the electrical activity of your heart during increasing exertion. We carry out this study to determine whether you get heart complaints or cardiac arrhythmias during exercise.
Prevention of cardiovascular disease is easier than treatment. Healthy living reduces the risk of (severe) narrowing of the arteries. Healthy living means:
- ensure a healthy weight
- varied and healthy food (enough fruit / vegetables)
- exercise enough (at least half an hour a day, somewhat strenuous)
- do not smoke
- moderate alcohol consumption (men max. 2 glasses per day, women 1 glass per day)
The final treatment depends on the number of risk factors that are present and the severity of the arterial calcification. Possible treatment:
- Dotter treatment with or without stent placement: tapering is the stretching of the vein with a balloon. Sometimes we also place a stent afterwards. A stent is a kind of metal ballpoint spring (metal gauze) that gives the vascular wall extra support. It prevents the vein from bouncing back again after the flare.
- medications, such as blood thinners, blood pressure reducers and cholesterol lowers
- bypass
- thrombolysis, dissolving an acute conclusion with medication
- supervised walking training
Blocked Artery Symptoms
The sign and symptoms you can have depend on the location of the arterial calcification:
Coronary arteries of the heart: a pressing pain in the middle of the chest, radiating to the jaw or left arm. Often sweating, nauseous and clammy.
Large carotid arteries: a stroke manifests itself in deficits (half-sided paralysis) or trouble talking, drooping mouth.
Leg arteries: pain in the legs when walking that changes again when you rest.
Diadnosis
There are several studies with which we can determine arterial calcification:
Duplex research: a duplex study is a combination of an ultrasound and a color doppler. We use high-frequency sound waves in an ultrasound. A color doppler measures the flow rate of the blood. With a duplex study we can determine the location and severity of the stenosis.
Walk test: a short walk test in combination with blood pressure measurements on the arm and the ankle. The doctor can determine on the basis of a walking test whether you have a narrowing or closing of the large or medium arteries of your legs.
Exercise ECG: with an exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) we measure the electrical activity of your heart during increasing exertion. We carry out this study to determine whether you get heart complaints or cardiac arrhythmias during exercise.
Treatment
Prevention of cardiovascular disease is easier than treatment. Healthy living reduces the risk of (severe) narrowing of the arteries. Healthy living means:
- ensure a healthy weight
- varied and healthy food (enough fruit / vegetables)
- exercise enough (at least half an hour a day, somewhat strenuous)
- do not smoke
- moderate alcohol consumption (men max. 2 glasses per day, women 1 glass per day)
The final treatment depends on the number of risk factors that are present and the severity of the arterial calcification. Possible treatment:
- Dotter treatment with or without stent placement: tapering is the stretching of the vein with a balloon. Sometimes we also place a stent afterwards. A stent is a kind of metal ballpoint spring (metal gauze) that gives the vascular wall extra support. It prevents the vein from bouncing back again after the flare.
- medications, such as blood thinners, blood pressure reducers and cholesterol lowers
- bypass
- thrombolysis, dissolving an acute conclusion with medication
- supervised walking training