Atherosclerosis is a disease in which plaque builds up in your blood vessels.

Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. Over time, plaque hardens and constricts your blood vessels. This limits the flow of oxygenated blood to your organs and other parts of your body.

Atherosclerosis can lead to serious problems, including heart attack, stroke, or even death.

ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Atherosclerosis-related diseases

Atherosclerosis can affect any artery in the body, including arteries in the heart, brain, arms, legs, pelvis, and kidneys. As a result, various diseases can develop based on which arteries are affected.

ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE

Ischemic heart disease occurs when the arteries of the heart cannot deliver enough oxygenated blood to the tissues of the heart when needed during periods of stress or physical exertion.

Coronary artery disease, also called coronary artery disease, is a type of ischemic heart disease caused by the build-up of plaque in the coronary arteries that supply oxygenated blood to your heart.

This build-up can partially or completely block blood flow in the great arteries of the heart. If the blood flow to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, you may have angina (chest pain or discomfort) or a heart attack.

Coronary microvascular disease is another type of ischemic heart disease. It occurs when the small arteries of the heart don't function normally.

Carotid heart disease

Carotid (ka-ROT-id) artery disease occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries on either side of your neck (the carotid arteries). These arteries supply oxygenated blood to your brain. If the blood flow to your brain is reduced or blocked, you could have a stroke.

Peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs when plaque builds up in the main arteries that supply oxygenated blood to your legs, arms, and pelvis.

If the blood flow to these parts of your body is reduced or blocked, you can experience numbness, pain, and sometimes dangerous infections.

Chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease can occur when plaque builds up in the renal arteries. These arteries supply oxygenated blood to your kidneys.

Over time, chronic kidney disease causes a slow loss of kidney function. The main function of the kidneys is to remove waste and extra water from the body.

Overview

The cause of atherosclerosis is unknown. However, certain traits, conditions, or habits can increase your risk of the disease. These conditions are known as risk factors.

You can control some risk factors such as lack of exercise, smoking and an unhealthy diet. Others beyond your control, such as age and a family history of heart disease.

Some people with atherosclerosis have no signs or symptoms. They may not be diagnosed until after a heart attack or stroke.

The main treatment for atherosclerosis is lifestyle changes. You may also need medications and medical procedures. These treatments, along with ongoing medical care, can help you live a healthier life.

Symptoms

Atherosclerosis doesn't usually cause signs and symptoms until it severely narrows or completely blocks an artery. Many people don't know they have the disease until they have a medical emergency, such as a heart attack or stroke.

Some people can have signs and symptoms of the disease. Signs and symptoms depend on which arteries are affected.

Coronary arteries

The coronary arteries supply oxygenated blood to your heart. If plaque narrows or blocks these arteries (causing a disease called ischemic heart disease), angina pectoris is a common symptom.ptom. Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle is not getting enough oxygenated blood.

Angina can feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. You can also feel it in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back. Angina pain can even feel like indigestion. The pain usually gets worse with activity and goes away with rest. Emotional stress can also cause the pain.

Other symptoms of ischemic heart disease are shortness of breath and arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs). Arrhythmias are problems with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat.

Plaque can also form in the smallest arteries of the heart. This disease is called coronary microvascular disease (MVD). Symptoms of coronary MVD are angina pectoris, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, fatigue and lack of energy.

Carotid arteries

The carotid arteries supply oxygenated blood to your brain. If the plaque narrows or blocks these arteries (a disease called carotid artery disease), you may have symptoms of a stroke. These symptoms can include:

• Sudden weakness
• Paralysis (inability to move) or numbness of the face, arms, or legs, especially on one side of the body
• Confusion
• Problems speaking or understanding speech
• Problems seeing in one or both eyes
• Breathing problems
• Dizziness, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, and unexplained falls
• Loss of consciousness
• Sudden and severe headache

Peripheral arteries

Plaque can also build up in the main arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the legs, arms, and pelvis (a disease called peripheral artery disease).

If these important arteries are narrowed or blocked, you can experience numbness, pain, and sometimes dangerous infections.

Renal arteries

The renal arteries supply oxygenated blood to your kidneys. If plaque builds up in these arteries, you can get chronic kidney disease. Over time, chronic kidney disease causes a slow loss of kidney function.

Early kidney disease often has no signs or symptoms. As the disease gets worse it can cause tiredness, changes in the way you urinate (more or less often), loss of appetite, nausea (nausea in the stomach), swelling of the hands or feet, itching or numbness and difficulty concentrating.

Therapy

Treatments for atherosclerosis may include lifestyle changes in the heart, medications, and medical procedures or surgery. The goals of the treatment include:

• Lowers the risk of blood clots forming
• Prevention of atherosclerosis-related diseases
• Reduce risk factors to slow down or stop plaque buildup
• Relieve symptoms
• Widening or bypassing plaque-clogged arteries

Changes in the heart-healthy lifestyle

Your doctor can recommend heart-healthy lifestyle changes if you have atherosclerosis. Changes to your heart-healthy lifestyle include eating heart-healthy, aiming for a healthy weight, coping with stress, physical activity and quitting smoking.

Medicines

Sometimes lifestyle changes alone are not enough to control your cholesterol levels. For example, you may also need statin medicines to control or lower your cholesterol. By lowering cholesterol in your blood, you can reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Doctors usually prescribe statins for people who:

• Coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, or previous stroke
• Diabetes mellitus
• High LDL cholesterol levels

Doctors can discuss starting statin treatment with people who are at increased risk of developing heart disease or stroke.
Your doctor may also prescribe other medications to:

• Lower your blood pressure
• Lower your blood sugar levels
• Prevent blood clots, which can lead to heart attack and stroke
• Prevent inflammation

Use all medications regularly, as directed by your doctor. Do not change the amount of your medicine or skip a dose unless your doctor tells you to. You still need to follow a healthy lifestyle for your heart, even though

Did you not find what you were looking for? Search further in the