Arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis, a group of disorders of the arteries, the tubular vessels that carry oxygen-carrying blood from the heart to the body’s organs and tissues. In arteriosclerosis, the walls of the arteries thicken, harden, and lose their elasticity. The blood vessel channels develop twists and turns and become narrowed so that the heart must work harder than normal to pump blood through the arteries. In the disease’s advanced stage, there is a risk of a decrease in blood flow and oxygen supply to all parts of the body. The disorder, commonly known as hardening of the arteries, develops as people age, but its severity varies greatly from person to person. Little is known about the cause of arteriosclerosis. Heredity appears to play a role in many cases. Lifestyle factors, such as continual stress or a diet abundant in animal fats, also appear to contribute to the condition.
The most common form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis, also known as coronary artery disease. In this condition, deposits of plaque—a material rich in greasy compounds called lipids, including cholesterol—form on the inner walls of the arteries. These deposits narrow the arterial channels and partly block the normal flow of blood through them. Calcium is often deposited with the fatty material and scar tissue develops, stiffening the walls of the arteries. As the blood passes over the roughened artery walls, blood clots begin to form upon them, a condition called thrombosis. These blood clots can partially or totally block the artery. Although it may occur in any artery in any part of the body, atherosclerosis causes most of its damage by reducing the flow of blood to the heart, brain, kidneys, and legs.
The symptoms of arteriosclerosis depend upon the arteries affected. A decrease in the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, resulting in a shortage of oxygen going to the heart muscle, causes chest pains, a condition called angina pectoris. If a blood clot forms in a coronary artery, the interruption of the blood flow can result in the death of part of the heart muscle, causing the crushing chest pains of a heart attack. A chronic decrease in the circulation of blood to the heart may result in heart failure, which is the inability of the heart muscle to pump enough blood for the body’s requirements. Unless treated, this condition is fatal.
When arteriosclerosis occurs in the arteries to the brain, the decrease in blood flow and oxygen can cause mental confusion and personality changes. A stroke may occur if an artery in the brain that has been weakened by arteriosclerosis ruptures or a blood clot halts blood flow to the brain, possibly resulting in partial paralysis, loss of speech, and sometimes death.
There is no specific treatment for arteriosclerosis. Often a low-fat diet is prescribed. Doctors usually advise patients to stop smoking and to exercise regularly. Drug treatment can include the use of calcium channel blockers to expand the arteries so that blood can flow more freely, and anticoagulants to prevent blood clots from forming in diseased arteries. In advanced cases, surgery to replace diseased blood vessels with grafts of healthy arteries may be necessary.
The most common form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis, also known as coronary artery disease. In this condition, deposits of plaque—a material rich in greasy compounds called lipids, including cholesterol—form on the inner walls of the arteries. These deposits narrow the arterial channels and partly block the normal flow of blood through them. Calcium is often deposited with the fatty material and scar tissue develops, stiffening the walls of the arteries. As the blood passes over the roughened artery walls, blood clots begin to form upon them, a condition called thrombosis. These blood clots can partially or totally block the artery. Although it may occur in any artery in any part of the body, atherosclerosis causes most of its damage by reducing the flow of blood to the heart, brain, kidneys, and legs.
The symptoms of arteriosclerosis depend upon the arteries affected. A decrease in the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, resulting in a shortage of oxygen going to the heart muscle, causes chest pains, a condition called angina pectoris. If a blood clot forms in a coronary artery, the interruption of the blood flow can result in the death of part of the heart muscle, causing the crushing chest pains of a heart attack. A chronic decrease in the circulation of blood to the heart may result in heart failure, which is the inability of the heart muscle to pump enough blood for the body’s requirements. Unless treated, this condition is fatal.
When arteriosclerosis occurs in the arteries to the brain, the decrease in blood flow and oxygen can cause mental confusion and personality changes. A stroke may occur if an artery in the brain that has been weakened by arteriosclerosis ruptures or a blood clot halts blood flow to the brain, possibly resulting in partial paralysis, loss of speech, and sometimes death.
There is no specific treatment for arteriosclerosis. Often a low-fat diet is prescribed. Doctors usually advise patients to stop smoking and to exercise regularly. Drug treatment can include the use of calcium channel blockers to expand the arteries so that blood can flow more freely, and anticoagulants to prevent blood clots from forming in diseased arteries. In advanced cases, surgery to replace diseased blood vessels with grafts of healthy arteries may be necessary.