Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic. Over time, however, too much pressure in your arteries can make the walls thick and stiff — sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues. This process is called arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Atherosclerosis is a specific type of arteriosclerosis, but the terms are often used interchangeably.
Although atherosclerosis is often considered a heart problem, it can affect arteries anywhere in your body. For example:
* When arteries leading to your limbs are affected, you may develop circulation problems in your arms and legs called peripheral arterial disease.
* When arteries to your heart are affected, you may have coronary artery disease, chest pain (angina) or a heart attack.
* When arteries supplying blood to your brain are affected, you could have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.
* Atherosclerosis can also lead to a bulge in the wall of your artery (aneurysm).
You may not know that you have atherosclerosis until a hardened artery causes a medical emergency. But you can take steps to protect yourself. Healthy lifestyle changes and medications can help.
Causes:
Atherosclerosis starts with damage or injury to the inner layer of an artery. The damage may be caused by various factors, including:
* High blood pressure
* High cholesterol
* An irritant, such as nicotine
* Certain diseases, such as diabetes
Once the inner wall of an artery is damaged, blood cells called platelets often clump at the injury site to try to repair the artery. Over time, fatty deposits (plaques) made of cholesterol and other cellular waste products also accumulate and harden, narrowing the space in your arteries. Organs and tissues that are served by these narrowed vessels don't get an adequate supply of blood.
Eventually pieces of the fatty deposits may rupture and enter your bloodstream. This can cause a blood clot to form at the site and damage your organs, such as in a heart attack. A blood clot can also travel to other parts of your body and partially or totally block blood flow to another organ.
Symptoms:
The specific signs and symptoms depend on which arteries are affected. For example:
* Heart arteries. Obstruction of the arteries to your heart (coronary arteries) may cause symptoms of heart attack, such as chest pain.
* Arteries supplying the brain. Obstruction of the carotid arteries in your neck may cause symptoms of stroke, such as sudden numbness, weakness or dizziness.
* Arteries in the arms and legs. Obstruction of the arteries supplying blood to your arms and legs may cause symptoms of peripheral arterial disease, such as leg pain when walking (intermittent claudication).
Treatment:
Atherosclerosis is a specific type of arteriosclerosis, but the terms are often used interchangeably.
Although atherosclerosis is often considered a heart problem, it can affect arteries anywhere in your body. For example:
* When arteries leading to your limbs are affected, you may develop circulation problems in your arms and legs called peripheral arterial disease.
* When arteries to your heart are affected, you may have coronary artery disease, chest pain (angina) or a heart attack.
* When arteries supplying blood to your brain are affected, you could have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.
* Atherosclerosis can also lead to a bulge in the wall of your artery (aneurysm).
You may not know that you have atherosclerosis until a hardened artery causes a medical emergency. But you can take steps to protect yourself. Healthy lifestyle changes and medications can help.
Causes:
Atherosclerosis starts with damage or injury to the inner layer of an artery. The damage may be caused by various factors, including:
* High blood pressure
* High cholesterol
* An irritant, such as nicotine
* Certain diseases, such as diabetes
Once the inner wall of an artery is damaged, blood cells called platelets often clump at the injury site to try to repair the artery. Over time, fatty deposits (plaques) made of cholesterol and other cellular waste products also accumulate and harden, narrowing the space in your arteries. Organs and tissues that are served by these narrowed vessels don't get an adequate supply of blood.
Eventually pieces of the fatty deposits may rupture and enter your bloodstream. This can cause a blood clot to form at the site and damage your organs, such as in a heart attack. A blood clot can also travel to other parts of your body and partially or totally block blood flow to another organ.
Symptoms:
The specific signs and symptoms depend on which arteries are affected. For example:
* Heart arteries. Obstruction of the arteries to your heart (coronary arteries) may cause symptoms of heart attack, such as chest pain.
* Arteries supplying the brain. Obstruction of the carotid arteries in your neck may cause symptoms of stroke, such as sudden numbness, weakness or dizziness.
* Arteries in the arms and legs. Obstruction of the arteries supplying blood to your arms and legs may cause symptoms of peripheral arterial disease, such as leg pain when walking (intermittent claudication).
Treatment:
Various drugs can slow — or sometimes even reverse — the effects of atherosclerosis. Here are some common choices:
* Cholesterol medications. Aggressively lowering your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, can slow, stop or even reverse the buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries. Your doctor can choose from a range of cholesterol medications, including drugs known as statins and fibrates.
* Anti-platelet medications. Your doctor may prescribe anti-platelet medications, such as aspirin, to reduce the likelihood that platelets will clump in narrowed arteries, form a blood clot and cause further blockage.
* Anticoagulants. An anticoagulant, such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin), can help thin your blood to prevent clots from forming.
* Angioplasty. In this procedure, your doctor inserts a long, thin tube (catheter) into the blocked or narrowed part of your artery. A wire with a deflated balloon is passed through the catheter to the narrowed area. The balloon is then inflated, compressing the deposits against your artery walls. A mesh tube (stent) may be left in the artery to help keep the artery open. Angioplasty may also be done with laser technology.
Bypass surgery. Your doctor may create a graft bypass using a vessel from another part of your body or a tube made of synthetic fabric. This allows blood to flow around the blocked or narrowed artery.
* Cholesterol medications. Aggressively lowering your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, can slow, stop or even reverse the buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries. Your doctor can choose from a range of cholesterol medications, including drugs known as statins and fibrates.
* Anti-platelet medications. Your doctor may prescribe anti-platelet medications, such as aspirin, to reduce the likelihood that platelets will clump in narrowed arteries, form a blood clot and cause further blockage.
* Anticoagulants. An anticoagulant, such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin), can help thin your blood to prevent clots from forming.
* Angioplasty. In this procedure, your doctor inserts a long, thin tube (catheter) into the blocked or narrowed part of your artery. A wire with a deflated balloon is passed through the catheter to the narrowed area. The balloon is then inflated, compressing the deposits against your artery walls. A mesh tube (stent) may be left in the artery to help keep the artery open. Angioplasty may also be done with laser technology.
Bypass surgery. Your doctor may create a graft bypass using a vessel from another part of your body or a tube made of synthetic fabric. This allows blood to flow around the blocked or narrowed artery.
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