Atherosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis (from the Greek. Athera – pulp and sclerosis) – a chronic condition in which arteries compacted and lose their elasticity, which leads to a narrowing of their lumen, and hence to the difficulty of blood flow. Victims of atherosclerosis are usually persons of middle and old age. However, atherosclerotic changes are detected in some cases, children and even newborns. And they say that atherosclerosis – is mostly affliction of people with high intelligence.

Why did this happen?

Atherosclerosis is often indicated in men older than 35 years, subject to frequent stress. Is also important hereditary factor. Promote the development of atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, gout, cholelithiasis, etc. Meals with an excess of animal fat plays an important role as a factor predisposing to atherosclerosis, but not as a primary cause of atherosclerosis. Quite important in the genesis of atherosclerosis has little physical activity. Should be considered as an important cause of psycho-emotional overload, traumatic nervous system, the influence of a busy pace of life, noise, and some specific work conditions, etc.

What’s happening?

In healthy people, blood freely flows through the arteries to all parts of the body, supplying them with oxygen and other nutrients. Excess cholesterol deposited on the inner surface of blood vessels, forming atherosclerotic plaques.
Atherosclerotic plaque – a formation consisting of a mixture of fats (primarily cholesterol) and calcium.
On the surface of this “build-up on the inner shell of the vessel starts to lay a blood clot – clumps of cells, mainly platelets (blood elements involved in clotting), and blood proteins.

Thrombus, firstly, more narrows the lumen of the artery, and secondly, it may have come off a bit, which is keen on blood flow through the vessels, while the diameter of the latter does not become so small that a blood clot gets stuck. In this case, there is a strong violation of the circulatory system: blood simply ceases to act in an organ (or part thereof), and he may die. The latter situation occurs in the following diseases: intestinal blockage of the arteries, arteries of the legs, kidneys, heart, spleen, heart, etc. If the damage blood vessels that feed the heart, develops a heart attack, but if atherosclerosis affects arteries supplying the brain, then repeatedly increases the risk of stroke.

The disease develops over several years, slowly but surely capturing still intact vessels. From the moment when the artery is narrowed by more than half, the person begins to feel the first signs of a lack of blood supply to tissue or organ.

How and where the manifest atherosclerosis, depends on the location of its development. For example, atherosclerosis of the aorta affected by gradually increasing the arterial hypertension, and in the worst-case scenario may develop dissecting aortic aneurysm – in this case, the aortic wall thinned to the limit, but on the inside of her crushed clots – is threatening aortic rupture at any moment, leading to fatal outcome.

Atherosclerosis of the branches of the aortic arch leads to a lack of blood supply to the brain, which causes dizziness, fainting and could lead to a stroke. A coronary atherosclerosis (coronary) arteries of the heart leads to the development of coronary heart disease.
Atherosclerosis of the mesenteric arteries, that is, the arteries feeding the intestine can lead to:
- Thrombosis (blood clotting in the lumen of the vessel) arterial branches, resulting in necrosis (tissue death), bowel wall and mesentery;
- Belly toad – is bouts of abdominal pain occurring shortly after a meal, often with vomiting and swelling. Such bouts of starvation by the way are removed.
Atherosclerosis of renal artery blood flow violates the kidneys, leading to persistent, difficult to treat hypertension. The outcome of this process – nephrosclerosis and chronic renal failure. And atherosclerotic vessels of the penis on a background of smoking, diabetes or hypertension is one of the most important risk factors of erectile dysfunction.

Atherosclerosis of arteries of lower limbs is manifested as chronic pain in the calf, which appears when walking and disappears on stopping. Pain in different leg muscles during walking causes a person to stop frequently. This phenomenon is called intermittent claudication.

Diagnosis

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels for a long time can proceed without any appearance, but modern methods of examination can detect the disease at early stages – for this purpose developed a method for Doppler ultrasound. Such a study is necessary because there are methods to reduce the risk of cerebral vascular accidents – strokes. To study the condition of vessels using the method of coronary angiography – a specially made X-rays allow us to determine the exact location of atherosclerotic plaques and the degree of narrowing of the lumen. Generally, at the first episode of cerebral blood flow evaluation by a cardiologist just necessary.

Treatment

Currently, the treatment of atherosclerosis and its consequences using a very effective surgical methods – increased luminal narrowing of vessels using the spray, the removal of atherosclerotic plaques, the replacement of the diseased vessel or creating a new path for blood flow. Also, in recent years, is actively developing new methods of treatment of atherosclerosis.
But in addition to radical methods you can try to preserve the health of their own. For example, if you have pain in the feet – you should still go at least an hour a day. Naturally, when the pain should stop, but after the pain will pass, again to go, but at a slower pace. Walking contributes to the opening reserves, collateral vessels, and often significantly improves the human condition.

Also, listen to conversations about healthy lifestyles – perhaps it is worth taking care of your body before it becomes necessary to resort to the doctor: stop smoking, become interested in what you eat in everyday life – maybe it makes sense to treat your body without overloading its excess cholesterol.