Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis is the narrowing and hardening of the arteries due to the buildup of plaque on the walls of blood vessels. This condition is a common cause of coronary heart diseaseatherosclerosis heart disease).
Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to and from the heart as well as to all other organs. Blockage of the arteries due to the buildup of cholesterol plaque will block blood flow to the body's organs.
At first, atherosclerosis causes no symptoms. New symptoms appear when blood flow to an organ or tissue is blocked. Plaque buildup to cause symptoms can take years.
Symptoms and Complications of Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis initially does not cause symptoms, until the arteries are so narrowed and even closed that they are no longer able to deliver sufficient blood to the body's organs.
As a result, many people do not know that they have atherosclerosis until complications arise. This complication usually occurs when the blood vessels have narrowed. Several types of atherosclerosis, depending on the location of atherosclerosis, include:
Atherosclerosis of the heart
Atherosclerosis of the heart can cause coronary heart disease and heart attacks. Both disorders have a number of similar symptoms, namely:
- Chest pain that feels like pressure or squeezing (angina).
- Pain or pressure in the shoulders, arms, jaw, or back.
- Heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias).
- Shortness of breath, sweating and restlessness.
Atherosclerosis of the legs
Atherosclerosis in the legs and arms can cause peripheral artery disease. This disorder is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Pain, cramps, to numbness in the arm and leg area.
- Pain when walking and subsides after resting (intermittent claudication).
- The lower limbs are cold.
- Sores on the thumbs, soles, or feet that do not heal.
Atherosclerosis of the brain
If it occurs in the blood vessels in the brain, atherosclerosis can cause a stroke which is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Numbness to paralysis on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
- Confusion and difficulty speaking clearly.
- Loss of vision in one eye or both eyes.
- Loss of coordination and balance.
- Dizziness and severe headache.
- Difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.
Atherosclerosis of the kidneys
Plaque buildup in the arteries in the kidneys can lead to kidney failure. This disorder can be recognized from a number of symptoms, such as:
- Infrequent urination.
- Constantly feeling nauseous.
- Feeling very tired and sleepy.
- Legs swell.
- Confusion and difficulty concentrating.
- Shortness of breath and chest pain.
When to go to the doctor
Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the symptoms of atherosclerosis that have been mentioned above. You need to go to the ER immediately if you experience symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. Both of these conditions require treatment as soon as possible because it can be fatal if you wait a long time.
People with diabetes or hypertension need to have regular check-ups with their doctor to monitor their condition and prevent possible complications of atherosclerosis.
If you smoke, try to stop the habit. Smoking can not only cause atherosclerosis, but also a number of other diseases. If quitting smoking is very difficult, go to the doctor for a smoking cessation program.
Causes of Atherosclerosis
The exact cause of atherosclerosis is unknown, but the disease begins when there is damage or injury to the inner lining of the arteries. The damage can be caused by:
- High cholesterol.
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Inflammation from certain diseases, such as lupus.
- Obesity.
- Smoking habit.
When the inner lining of the arteries is damaged, fat and other substances can easily stick and clot there. Over time, these clots (plaque) continue to accumulate, harden, until the arteries narrow and stiffen.
Narrowing of blood vessels will inhibit the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the organs that flow. This makes the function of these organs decrease or even stop, depending on how severe the blockage is.
The development of atherosclerosis to cause symptoms is very slow, it can even take decades. However, a number of these conditions can make a person more at risk or develop them sooner:
- Over 40 or 50 years old.
- Have a lazy lifestyle or rarely exercise.
- Having an unhealthy diet and frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Experiencing prolonged stress.
- Have a family member who also has atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis Diagnosis
The doctor will ask about the patient's symptoms and perform a physical examination. Physical examination is done by checking the patient's pulse, heart rate, and blood pressure. The doctor will also observe if the patient has wounds that are slow or do not heal.
If the patient is suspected of having atherosclerosis, the doctor will perform a number of supporting tests to confirm it. The tests include:
- Blood tests, to see cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
- Ankle-brachial index (ABI), which is a comparative test of leg and arm blood pressure index, to check for blockage of arteries in the leg area.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG), to check the electrical activity of the heart and look for signs of coronary heart disease (atherosclerosis heart disease).
- Doppler ultrasound, to see if there is a blockage in the arteries in the legs with sound waves.
- stress test or an EKG treadmill, to check the electrical activity of the heart and blood pressure during physical activity.
- Angiography, which is an examination of the condition of the heart arteries by injecting a contrast agent (dye) into the arteries, so that they can be seen clearly through X-rays.
- Scan with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and CT scan, to check the condition of the arteries.
Atherosclerosis Treatment
Treatment of atherosclerosis can be done through three things, namely lifestyle changes, drugs, and medical procedures.
Changes in daily lifestyle is the main thing that needs to be done. Patients are encouraged to exercise more often to improve heart and blood vessel health, and reduce consumption of foods that contain lots of cholesterol.
In addition to suggesting lifestyle changes, your doctor can also give you medications to prevent atherosclerosis from getting worse. These medications can be:
- Medicines to prevent blood clots, such as aspirin.
- Medicines to lower blood pressure, such as beta blockers (beta blockers), calcium antagonists (calcium channel blockers), as well as diuretics.
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins and fibrates.
- Medications to prevent narrowing of the arteries, such as ACE inhibitor.
- Medications to control medical conditions that can cause atherosclerosis, such as diabetes medications to control blood sugar levels.
In severe cases of atherosclerosis, your doctor may suggest treatment with:
- Ring installation (stent) and angioplasty
This procedure is used to open blockages or narrowed arteries, then insert a small tube there to allow blood flow to return to normal.
- Fibrinolytic therapy
This therapy is done to overcome the blockage of arteries due to blood clots, by giving solvents or blood clot-breakers.
- Operation bypassThis procedure is done to treat blocked or narrowed arteries by bypassing blocked blood vessels, using blood vessels from other parts of the body or synthetic tubes.
- Endarterectomy
This procedure is done to remove fat deposits on the walls of narrowed arteries. Usually, this procedure is performed on the arteries of the neck.
- Arterectomy
This procedure is used to remove plaque from the arteries, using a sharp-bladed catheter at one end.
Prevention of Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Ways that can be done include:
- Have a healthy diet with balanced nutrition that is rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, and low in cholesterol.
- Avoid or limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Exercise for 30 minutes per day, at least 5 days a week.
- Quit smoking.
- Maintain body weight within the ideal range.
- Manage stress well, for example by doing relaxation (relaxing tense muscles) or meditation.
- Enough sleep.