Your arteries deliver blood to your heart and throughout your body. Normally, the flow is clear and unobstructed. However, if plaque develops on the inside of the arterial wall, that flow will be impeded. If the blockage grows to a point where blood cannot effectively reach your heart, the muscle can become starved of oxygen and sustain damage. The consequences can include a heart attack or a stroke.
The formation of the plaque on the inner arterial wall is called atherosclerosis. One of the reasons it is debilitating is due to the slow, often unnoticed, development of the blockage. In effect, patients may not realize a problem exists.
Today's article will discuss how this disorder can lead to other health issues. We'll also explore a few of the factors that can predispose a person to the condition or accelerate the buildup of plaque.
A Prelude To Other Health Issues
Because atherosclerosis is a condition which can impact any artery, its development places a patient at risk of other afflictions. Depending upon which arteries are affected, it can lead to coronary or carotid artery disease, as well as peripheral arterial disease.
If the disease focuses on a coronary artery, it will directly affect the heart. If plaque develops within the carotid arteries, it will impact the brain. In the case of peripheral arterial disease, the blockage occurs within arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to your pelvis and extremities.
Unfortunately, each of these conditions - along with the broader disease of atherosclerosis - typically goes unnoticed until the arterial blockage triggers an attack or stroke.
Potential Causes And Risk Factors
The root cause of atherosclerosis remains a mystery. However, there are many lifestyle choices that can exacerbate the disorder. For example, heavy smokers and people who consume foods with high levels of cholesterol or fat are generally more susceptible. Those who live a perpetually sedentary lifestyle with little to no physical activity are also at risk. Patients who battle high blood pressure are vulnerable, too.
Age and genetics play a role. Typically, the older a person gets, the higher the likelihood of plaque building and hardening along the arterial walls. And like most disorders, if atherosclerosis exists within a person's family history, that too, increases the likelihood that it can develop.
How Is The Condition Treated?
Treatment is based upon the advance of the disease. If it has developed within any of the arteries to the point a patient's life is immediately threatened, a doctor will often suggest surgery or angioplasty. Otherwise, most treatment paths focus on medications and lifestyle changes. For example, a patient will be encouraged to stop smoking, maintain a better diet, and get regular exercise.
While atherosclerosis can become life-threatening, these measures are often all that is necessary for a patient to live a healthy life.
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