What is atherosclerosis
The disease is also known as the atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD) which is thickening of the arteries due to fats build up. After a period of time, the arteries harden and become narrower such that blood flow is a problem. When not attended fast, the disease can lead to other complications which might include the following:
- Heart attack
This can happen when the fats found in the artery melts down. The fats can lead to a whole blood cut off supply to your heart which leads to a heart attack. Without blood, the heart shuts off completely because its operations are dependent on the blood supplied.
2. Angina
When your muscle isn’t getting enough blood as required, there are some operations which cannot function normally. The low blood supply causes pain or a kind of a discomfort due to the tissues straining to cope up with the low blood supply.
3. Stroke
The stroke results from a blood clot preventing blood from reaching your brain. If your blood supply to the brain is limited, a mini stroke can occur where some organs fail to operate normally. If the fat melts down completely, a blood clot can form which can cause a complete organ failure and eventually a stroke.
4.Peripheral arterial disease
This happens when your legs cannot get enough blood. You might experience a lot of pain around your hips or thigh when walking because the tissues need more blood (oxygen for respiration) than the available amount.
The disease is very common in old people who have attained 65 years and above. In addition to age, the following factors can be predisposing factors:
- Regular and heavy smoking
- Being physically inactive
- Eating food with high cholesterol levels
- Being overweight or an obese
- Having a high blood pressure condition
- Being diabetic (type 2 diabetes)
- Being born in a family with complications of atherosclerosis over time
Most people do not notice they have this disease until they experience the first signs of infections mentioned above. Having regular check-ups with your doctor is very important because you can be able to start the treatment process earlier.
There is no known cure for the disease, but there are therapeutic and preventive measures which can be put in place by health technicians. Among the preventive measures are smoking cessation and diet restrictions which have been proven to be very helpful to patients. In additional to treatment, a physical assistant is very helpful in fighting cholesterol, obesity, and fat problems.
