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Atherosclerosis is a slowly progressive change in the arteries due to loss of elasticity in their tissues and narrowing of the diameter. Atherosclerosis is the cause of fatal cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
Healthy arteries have the ability to respond elastically to the amount of blood transmitted with each pulse wave: the vascular walls sometimes expand, then contract again. When the vascular tissue loses its elasticity, the arteries lose their ability to widen and narrow in response to the influx of blood. As a result, the amount of blood carried by the arteries decreases, and the organs are less well supplied with oxygen and nutrients. This loss of elasticity in vessels and arteries, which is one of the signs of atherosclerosis, is known as calcification.
Plaques lead to atherosclerosis. Another characteristic feature of atherosclerosis - the deterioration of the conductivity of arteries and vessels - is formed due to deposits on the inner side of their walls. These deposits are also called plaques.
Plaques can arise and accumulate in various areas of the arterial system, capable of affecting both the smallest blood vessels and large ones, up to the main arteries. Plaque in the arteries is one of the causes of coronary heart disease and peripheral arterial occlusive disease, also known as intermittent claudication.
Atherosclerosis remains unnoticed for a long time. Atherosclerosis develops slowly and therefore remains imperceptible for a long time. Only when, for example, the blood flow in the coronary vessels is reduced by half, painful symptoms appear, in particular, angina.
As atherosclerosis progresses, plaques can increase in some places, and as a result, the conductivity of blood vessels turns out to be very low. These narrow places are called stenoses. If a thrombus gets into such a narrow place, which is formed from plaques that have peeled off and migrates with the blood flow, there is a possibility of the development of vascular occlusion. With this violation, blood can no longer pass through the narrowed vessel at all, and its supply to the tissues is completely stopped. As a result, the fabric begins to die.
When under such circumstances the coronary vessel closes, the tissue of the heart dies, and for a person this means a heart attack, a heart attack. Closure of the artery that supplies the brain leads to the development of a stroke. Scientists emphasize that atherosclerosis is the main cause of death in Western industrialized countries.
How to understand what atherosclerosis is? According to doctors, many years may pass before a person notices the symptoms of progressive vascular changes. Atherosclerosis remains asymptomatic for a long time and is manifested only by secondary diseases. About atherosclerosis can be said:
- ischemic heart disease with angina pectoris or peripheral artery disease;
- failures caused by a lack of oxygen in the heart and brain: decreased tone and work capacity, dizziness, memory impairment;
- sensations in the legs: in connection with the narrowing of the blood vessels in the legs, you may feel tingling, a feeling of coldness, a sharp and severe pain that forces you to stop when walking;
- high blood pressure: hypertension is both a trigger and a symptom of atherosclerosis.
Aging and lifestyle. Atherosclerosis is part of the aging process, but smoking and other bad habits can make it premature and life-threatening. Fatty and very salty food, lack of normal physical activity contribute to the formation of deposits on the inner walls of the vessel. Also, the health of blood vessels is significantly affected by stress and metabolic diseases: obesity, diabetes.
To protect against atherosclerosis, doctors recommend, first of all, not to smoke, follow a balanced diet rich in vitamins and fiber, regularly do sports and avoid excess weight. The latter does not mean that you need to come up with better sports results. It has been shown that just regular walking is quite effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases caused by atherosclerosis.
