1.2. Cardiovascular Diseases: Atherosclerosis

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“I always remove the price tags before my husband sees the shopping. This is by far the best prevention of heart attack.”

 

Atherosclerosis – one of the most common diseases in the elderly – is a narrowing of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque through the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries.

Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. They cause the formation of blood clots that can block blood flow or break off and travel to another part of the body which is very dangerous.

As you get older, fats, cholesterol, and calcium can collect in your arteries and form plaque. The buildup of plaque makes it difficult for blood to flow through your arteries. This buildup may occur in any artery in your body, including your heart, legs, and kidneys.

It can result in a shortage of blood and oxygen in various tissues of your body. Pieces of plaque can also break off, causing a blood clot. If left untreated, atherosclerosis can lead to heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
 

What causes atherosclerosis?

There are many factors that increase the risk of atherosclerosis. The following are common causes:

High cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, yellow substance that’s found naturally in the body as well as in certain foods you eat. If the levels of cholesterol in your blood are too high, it can clog your arteries. It becomes a hard plaque that restricts or blocks blood circulation to your heart and other organs.

Unhealthy diet

With consuming large amounts of animal fats, including small amounts of healthy vegetable fats in the diet, consuming a large amount of simple sugars.

Aging

As you age, your heart and blood vessels work harder to pump and receive blood. Your arteries may weaken and become less elastic, making them more susceptible to plaque buildup.

Lifestyle

Atherosclerosis is also largely affected by genetic factors and family predisposition. It is more common to develop with other chronic diseases such as hypertension, overweight or obesity and diabetes.
 

What are the symptoms of atherosclerosis?

Most symptoms of atherosclerosis don’t show up until a blockage occurs. Common symptoms include:
 
   chest pain or angina
 
   pain in your leg, arm, and anywhere else that has a blocked artery
 
   shortness of breath
 
   fatigue
 
confusion, which occurs if the blockage affects circulation to your brain
 
   muscle weakness in your legs from lack of circulation
 
It’s important to know that a heart attack and a stroke can be caused by atherosclerosis.

If a clot blocks a blood vessel that feeds the heart, it causes a heart attack. If it blocks a blood vessel that feeds the brain, it causes a stroke. If blood supply to the arms or legs is reduced or blocked, it can cause difficulty walking and eventually gangrene.
 
 
How to distinguish a heart attack from a stroke?

table
 

first aid
 

Please note that the person must remain in a safe position until the ambulance arrives. They must not be given anything to drink or eat.

Remember
 

How is atherosclerosis diagnosed

The doctor performs a physical exam if there are symptoms of atherosclerosis. The doctor checks for:
 
   a weakened pulse
 
   an aneurysm, an abnormal bulging or widening of an artery due to weakness of the arterial wall
 
   slow wound healing, which indicates a restricted blood flow

A cardiologist may listen to the heart to see if there are any abnormal sounds. They’ll be listening for a whooshing noise, which indicates that an artery is blocked. The doctor will order more tests if they suspect atherosclerosis.

Tests can include:
 
   a blood test to check your cholesterol levels
 
   a Doppler ultrasound, which uses sound waves to create a picture of the artery that shows if there’s a blockage
 
   an ankle-brachial index (ABI), which looks for a blockage in your arms or legs by comparing the blood pressure in each limb
 
   a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or a computed tomography angiography (CTA) to create pictures of the large arteries in your body
 
   a cardiac angiogram, which is a type of chest X-ray that’s taken after your heart arteries are injected with radioactive dye
 
   an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), which measures the electrical activity in your heart to look for any areas of decreased blood flow
 
   a stress test, or exercise tolerance test, which monitors your heart rate and blood pressure while you exercise on a treadmill or stationary bicycle
 

Treatment and prevention

Treatment involves changing the current lifestyle to decrease the amount of fat and cholesterol consume. The elderly person may need to exercise more to improve the health of heart and blood vessels. Unless atherosclerosis is severe, the doctor may recommend lifestyle changes as the first line of treatment, but they may also suggest additional medical treatments, such as medications or surgery.

With treatment, the eldery person may see improvement in their health, but this may take time. The success of the treatment will depend on:
 
   the severity of the person condition
 
   how promptly it was treated
 
   whether other organs were affected
 
The treatment of atherosclerosis is a multidirectional action and include:
 
   eating a healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol
 
   avoiding fatty foods
 
   adding fish to diet (e.g. twice per week)
 
   quitting smoking
 
   being physically active
 
   losing weight (in case of overweight or obeseand) and maintaining a healthy weight.
 
   treating conditions associated with atherosclerosis, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes
 
   getting regular medical check-ups and taking medicine as prescribed
 
Treating the underlying cause and making healthy lifestyle and dietary changes can help slow down the process or prevent it from getting worse.
 
 
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