Atherosclerosis is a health issue poorly referred to as arteriosclerotic vascular illness or coronary artery disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most prevalent category of disease worldwide, and atherosclerosis is the most frequent form of CVD.
Professionals said it was a disease in which the artery wall becomes more dense because fat-soluble substances, especially cholesterol, are deposited. Atherosclerosis can be described as a syndrome characterized by a chronic inflammatory response occurring in the arterial wall and referred to commonly as the hardening or narrowing of the arteries. During the course, atherosclerotic plaques develop in the arteries. Atherosclerosis is typically asymptomatic for decades and then leads to significant trouble.
Advanced atherosclerosis is a chronic, slowly progressive, and additive process. Well, almost always, the soft atherosclerotic plaque ruptures suddenly, leading to thrombus formation that quickly reduces or halts blood flow, killing the tissue supplied by the artery. Infarction is what you call this catastrophic event. It sounds convoluted, but it is quite simple.
The most classic example is clotting of the coronary artery, producing a myocardial infarction. Because atherosclerosis is a systemic process, analogous events take place in the arteries of the brain, intestines, kidneys, and other sites. So, it is worth doing a checkup to diagnose atherosclerosis and start the treatment process. And this can even be a matter of life and death for the patients.
Atherosclerosis is a relatively slow-progressing disease that predominantly affects older adults, and while its incidence has decreased in many countries, it remains a leading cause of death. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was previously conceived of as an industrialized world problem but now has become a global problem. So, it may have been the result of an unhealthy diet. The role of nutrition in atherogenesis is significant.
The major mechanism of the disease presented here is lipid-storing and inflammation of large arteries, which can eventually lead to clinical complications. So, the primary driver is the development of these atherosclerotic plaques. The cholesterol plank makes the muscle cells grow larger and covers the area with a hard coat. Ultimately, plaque ruptures, and thrombosis occurs in the lumen of a rupturing atherosclerotic plaque. Although the clots recover and normally shrink, they cause stenosis of the artery or, worse, total occlusion, thus insufficient availability of blood to the tissues and organs supplied by the artery.
This was an internal view of atherosclerosis. Other factors that rely on our lifestyle and some others may also contribute to the illness. We call them risk factors because they raise the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis. If any of the following things apply to you, you are in a risk group. We have listed a few of the elements that we consider to be most important, but by no means is our complete list. According to new research, there are non-traditional factors leading to atherosclerosis – including sleep disorders, the microbiome, and environmental factors, such as air pollution.
First, I will give something that is out of our hands. Sometimes this happens. You could be born with the worst possible genes. However, this does not mean that you will definitely end up with atherosclerosis. Well, you need to take care of yourself so as not to have the illness. In fact, about 40% of atherosclerosis arises from genetic variants.
The genetic part comprises the cumulative effects of many individual risk genes, each contributing to overall risk. Each such variant contributes a tiny proportion to risk, but collectively, they make a difference — so don't write them off. To see if you have one of these genes, you can either look to see if anyone else in the family has atherosclerosis or you can have a genetic test.
Seniors need to be on guard. Atherosclerosis is mainly an older adult's disease, and the great majority of heart attacks or strokes happen in patients over the age of 55. The age-dependent reduction of the susceptibility of blood vessels became a subject of intensive studies by many scientists. This process is likely accompanied by the loss of elastin with collagen degradation and the thickening of the intimal and medial layers of arterial walls. However, that is not the only potential cause.
Other investigations indicate the development of coronary endothelial dysfunction with aging. But nowadays, it's not only senior citizens who suffer from this disease, atherosclerosis. Lifestyle changes, especially in developed countries, also have put younger people at risk.
Menopause, say some researchers, may raise the atherosclerosis risk, independent of the age at which it occurs. The protective effect of estrogen has been proposed as an explanation for the reduced rate of coronary atherosclerosis among premenopausal women. This is exactly when estrogens, which are lacking in menopausal women, exert a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. Consequently, these studies show that hormone replacement therapy might be protective for postmenopausal women.
The other key factor that clears the way for atherosclerosis is cigarette smoking. You may be aware that this is a really poor habit because it is discussed to death. But if you want to believe scientists, cigarette smoke constituents can be toxic—partly by way of oxidative stress and endothelial injury. They also discovered that long-term smoking causes the arteries to become dilated (not a good thing).
Diet and lifestyle are major determinants of health, particularly in the context of atherosclerosis. Dietary factors can influence blood lipid levels and the course of atherosclerosis. Large amounts of salt and animal products can exacerbate that risk. Another equally valid fact is habitual drinking, which carries the risk not only of atherosclerosis. As a result, specialists recommend changing people's diets. Plant-based, tasty foods, e.g., whole grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, have been linked to a lower possibility of atherosclerosis and should be consumed more often.
Physical inactivity was another bumpy behavior that we needed to change. Stress is harmful to health, but exercise is not. Exercise helps maintain the body's immunity as long as it is done regularly. Exercise also lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, overweight and obesity. This is another way to protect against atherosclerosis since overweight people, due to bad nutrition, are at high risk of this disease.
Some diseases may enhance the risk of atherosclerosis. They harm the human body in themselves and amid one additional threat. However, this is simply the reality of the situation and needs to be accounted for. There is an independent association between hypertension and the risk of coronary events. In such individuals, narrowings of large and small blood vessels may occur, leading to diminished nutrient blood flow and myocardial ischemia.
Diabetes can be another possible threat, too. Traditionally, elevated glucose has been associated with classical endothelial dysfunction in regulating vascular tone.
Infections caused by bacteria and viruses have also been observed to correlate with atherosclerosis. Let's take, for example, a recent large epidemiological study of patients infected with Covid. We have observed a very pronounced rise in events related to different cardiovascular diseases post-COVID-19 infection.
In early life, atherosclerosis itself is not symptomatic. Usually, it fails to be detected by existing medical methods in life, but it commonly occurs in most major arteries. For approximately 65% of men and 47% of women, the first sign of atherosclerotic disease is a heart attack, which is consistent with data in the US for 2004. This is why it is dangerous that the disease has no symptoms. However, there are certain indications that can alert you to the need to see a doctor and undergo the appropriate tests.
Atherosclerosis does not cause signs and symptoms until the arteries narrow or block. Depending on the arteries that experience atherosclerosis, signs and symptoms also differ.
Angina pectoris is a symptom of atherosclerosis. It is indicative of ischemic heart disease. Angina symptoms are not specific, including difficulty breathing and excessive sweating after physical exertion, a sense of heaviness, fatigue, etc. Chest pain is more characteristic, accompanied by perfusion of the heart muscle, which does not get enough oxygen to satisfy the needs of the heart. The pain is typically elicited from physical activity or stress but can also happen spontaneously.
A transient ischemic attack, by definition, is a clinical syndrome of brain dysfunction. The attack is initiated by atherosclerosis and the narrowing of the arteries, bringing the blood to the brain. Symptoms are variable, depending on the brain region that becomes ischemic. Speech disorders are the most prevalent of them. Other potential effects include sensory disturbances, vertigo, and problems with motor coordination. This type of attack is not prolonged (maximum 24 hours). In case it happens, it is a sign of atherosclerosis, so make sure to check up.
If the atherosclerosis is in the leg area, the symptoms may also occur. You have tightness in the calves, thighs, and feet. Blood clots and leg pains are other possibilities. The skin is also chilled and decolorized, and the discomfort turns down at rest and rises in movement. This condition happens because of reduced blood flow in the femoral artery, causing limb ischemia.
Atherosclerosis may also include uncharacteristic symptoms like arrhythmias, which refer to irregular heartbeats. You have to pay attention to how your heart is beating so that you can actually notice it. An attack of arrhythmia is usually manifested by the patient with complaints of palpitations or a feeling of an irregular heartbeat. But if you do an examination, then the diagnosis of arrhythmia will be true. Another symptom of atherosclerotic disease is difficulty breathing and breathing problems in general (like feeling short of breath), especially following activity.
Atherosclerosis, you would think, has no place in the sex life. But the link is truly vast. A good blood supply is required to facilitate sexual function. As a result, one sign of atherosclerosis can be erectile dysfunction. Atherosclerotic plaques accumulate in the walls of blood vessels over time, slowing blood flow, something needed to achieve and maintain an erection. So, gentlemen, get checked, not only by a sexologist.
Oddly enough, some researchers also state that mental problems can be caused by atherosclerosis. In some, the very first symptom can be mental changes. Brain hypoxia resulting from atherosclerosis causes a depressed mood, loss of motivation, and desire to live. This may leave the patients with depressive symptoms. And any number of anxiety disorders could arise as well.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic, diffuse disease of the large arteries with no obvious primary etiology, but known to be related to some risk factors. Age and a family history of early heart disease are among others. The doctor must consider these factors in the patient's history to know what the first recommendation was. Also, some test results depicting significant data are required.
It is appropriate to assess the lipid profile to detect atherosclerosis. Plasma levels of bad cholesterol are associated with atherosclerosis risk; the higher the level, the greater the risk. As a result, the lipid level should be tested as part of the normal screening that older patients receive. This will assist in the quicker identification of irregularities, which is critical. Kidney and thyroid function, as well as anemia, can also be checked with blood tests. Such tests also flag markers of inflammation as they are indirect indicators of atherosclerosis or inflammation of another origin that deserves a specific diagnosis.
An aneurysm can be diagnosed with an abdominal ultrasound on the patient. Carotid sonography is done to exclude stenosis if a carotid artery aneurysm is present. You can find valuable information in an electrocardiogram (ECG). We will find out if there is an arrhythmia with this means of diagnosis machine. Moreover, the test can be carried out when one is exercising. CTA is also another amazing diagnostic test as it can demonstrate atherosclerotic plaque burden.
However, angiography is regarded as the standard for imaging of atherosclerotic lesions. Nonetheless, it is an invasive procedure and should only be performed in high-risk patients. Thus, CT scanning emerges as an alternative, less-invasive strategy that may be helpful in the identification of the presence of mild infiltrative atherosclerotic plaques and the subsequent risk of acute coronary events in the future. Newer imaging techniques, such as cardiovascular MRI, are also used sometimes by doctors.
And when you get terrified of atherosclerosis, you will definitely ask the question none can answer better – Can atherosclerosis be treated? And we are fortunate to be living in such times where it can happen. There are a variety of treatments that scientists have developed in our favor and are still doing. So, what can we do once the diagnosis of atherosclerosis is given?
Your doctor will prescribe lifestyle modification as the first stage of treatment. These new health habits are necessary because they are the barriers you need. Lifestyle modification, however, can help you a lot, so do not get into this argument with your doctor.
That said, controlling cholesterol levels will be a good place to begin. Blood pressure and glucose levels also need to be monitored. The target BP is below 130/85. Apart from diet, some treatments for diabetes are plentiful. These kinds of parameters also require to be kept controlled. It should be stressed to the patient that stroke is prevented by good control.
Patients should also be advised to exercise regularly and consume a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables. In addition, such patients will have to refuse unhealthy food for the cardiovascular system. That may be hard to do, but it is also essential. Moreover, smokers also need a suggestion to quit, and that is yet another difficult task.
Atherosclerosis is also treated with medication. Several things can be used to manage the disease. Statins, for example, work by lowering cholesterol, ultimately resulting in reduced cardiovascular events. This means that they can shield people from the harmful effects of atherosclerosis. There are also pills like vasodilators. So, instead, doctors browse all available medications to match them to an individual patient. This can vary depending on symptoms and test results.
In serious cases, there is a need for more serious treatment. Angioplasty is one of the surgical procedures that is a part of atherosclerosis treatment. It is a procedure for reopening a narrowed — or in some cases even totally occluded — coronary artery without the opening of the chest. The diseased artery supports the lumen achieved by the balloon used to perform the angioplasty, thus lowering recurrent stenosis rates. It appears to be an error-prone and complex endeavor. However, doctors are experienced.
Therapeutic options for the disease include thrombolysis, particularly for acute limb ischemia secondary to thrombus and embolism. The procedure consists of giving drugs right at the site of the thrombus. A catheter is positioned to deliver the therapeutic substance to the obstructed artery or vein.
If a patient is diagnosed with atherosclerosis, and if the patient performs treatment methods, the prognosis of atherosclerosis is good. But full-blown end-organ disease, like heart failure or paralyze and cognitive impairment, ischemic stroke is another story. Atherosclerosis is considered a systemic chronic disease. A gradual decline in fitness characterizes chronic ischemic disease and develops over the years, affecting multiple organs and systems. Thus, if patients don't take part in the treatment system, atherosclerosis can worsen the patient's well-being as atherosclerosis is a lethal condition.
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