Atherosclerosis Treatment

Atherosclerosis is a condition in which fatty material collects along the walls of arteries. This fatty material thickens, hardens (form of calcium deposits), and eventually can block arteries.

Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis. Both terms are often used to mean the same thing.
Cause

Atherosclerosis is a common disorder that typically affects medium and large arteries. This occurs when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in artery walls and form a hard structure called plaque.

Eventually, plaque can make the artery narrow and less flexible, making it difficult for blood to flow. If the coronary arteries become narrow, blood flow to the heart can slow or stop. This can cause chest pain (stable angina), shortness of breath, heart attack, and other symptoms.

Pieces of plaque can rupture and moving through the affected arteries to the smaller blood vessels, blocking them and causing tissue damage or death (embolization). This is a common cause of heart attacks and strokes. Blood clots can also form some tears (cracks) in the plaque causing blockage of blood flow. If the clot moves into the arteries in the heart, lungs, or brain, can cause stroke, heart attack, or pulmonary embolism. In some cases, the atherosclerotic plaque is associated with weakening of artery walls that lead to an aneurysm.

Risk factors for atherosclerosis include:

* Diabetes
* Heavy use of alcohol
* High blood pressure
* High blood cholesterol
* High-fat diet
* Increasing age
* Obesity
* Personal or family history of heart disease
* Smoking

Atherosclerosis can affect different organ systems, including the heart, lungs, brain, intestine, kidney, and limbs (legs).
Symptoms

Symptoms usually do not occur until blood flow becomes restricted or blocked.

See the specific conditions for more details about the symptoms:

* Abdominal aortic aneurysm
* Coronary artery disease
* Kidney disease
* Mesenteric artery ischemia
* Peripheral arterial disease
* Renal artery stenosis
* Hypertension
* Stroke (cerebrovascular disease)
* Thoracic aortic aneurysm

Exams and Tests

A health care provider will perform a physical exam and listen to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope. Atherosclerosis can make a whirring sound or a blow ("hearsay") above the artery.

The tests, which can be used to diagnose atherosclerosis or complications are:

* Index Ankle / brachial (ABI)
* Aortic arteriography (angiography Aortic)
* Arteriography
* Cardiac stress testing
* Carotid duplex
* Angiography coronary artery)
* CT scan
* Doppler studies
* Extremity arteriography
* Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)
* Arteriografi magnetic resonance (MRA)
* Mesenteric arteriography
* Pulmonary angiography
* Arteriografi kidney

Treatment

To help prevent atherosclerosis or its complications (such as heart disease and stroke), making the following lifestyle changes:

* Avoid fatty foods. Eat a balanced diet low in fat and cholesterol. Include several servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Adding fish to your diet at least twice a week can help. However, do not eat fried fish.
* Do not drink more than one or two alcoholic drinks a day.
* Exercise regularly for 30 minutes a day if you are not overweight, and for 60-90 minutes every day if you are overweight.

Get your blood pressure checked every 1-2 years, especially if high blood pressure runs in your family. Does your blood pressure checked more often if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or you have a stroke. Talk to your doctor about how often you should have your checked. Specific recommendations depend on your age and blood pressure readings.

* Each person should keep their blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg
* If you have diabetes, kidney disease, or have experienced a stroke or heart attack, your blood pressure may be less than 130/80 mm Hg. Ask your doctor what your blood pressure should be.

how is your cholesterol checked and treated if it is high.

* Adults should have cholesterol checked every 5 years. If you are being treated for high cholesterol or family history of cholesterol problems, you will need to have it checked more often.
* All adults must keep their LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels below 130-160 mg / dL.
* If you have diabetes, heart disease, or hardening of blood vessels elsewhere in your body, your LDL cholesterol should be lower than 100 mg / dL.
* Some drugs have been found to clean the plaque. Statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs could help prevent more plaque from forming.

Your doctor may recommend taking aspirin or another drug called clopidogrel (Plavix) to help prevent blood clots form in your arteries. These drugs are called antiplatelet drugs. Do NOT take aspirin without first talking to your doctor.

Talk to your doctor about the safety of hormone replacement therapy for menopause.

Guidelines no longer recommend vitamin E or C, antioxidants, or folic acid to prevent heart disease.

A number of operations performed to help prevent the complications of atherosclerosis. Some of these are:

* Angioplasty and stents - heart - discharge
* Angioplasty and stent placement - peripheral arterial
* Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - open
* Coronary artery bypass surgery
* Carotid artery surgery
* Minimal invasive cardiac surgery

Outlook (Prognosis)

Everyone started to develop some amount of atherosclerosis as they grow older. In some people, this condition can cause complications such as heart attack or stroke.
Possible Complications

* Coronary heart disease
* Damage to organs (eg, kidney brain liver, and intestine)
* Heart attack
* Stroke
* Too little blood to the legs and feet
* Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

When to Contact Professional Medical ?

Call for an appointment with your doctor if you are at risk of atherosclerosis, especially if you have symptoms.

Talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise plan, especially if you've been diagnosed with coronary heart disease or you have had a heart attack.