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| Atherosclerosis, Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Complications |
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 disease (atherosclerosis 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 organs of the body.
At first, atherosclerosis does not cause any symptoms. New symptoms appear when blood flow to organs or body tissues is blocked. The process of plaque buildup until the symptoms of atherosclerosis appear can take years.
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 or plaques continue to accumulate and harden so that the arteries narrow and stiffen.
Narrowing of blood vessels will inhibit the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the body's organs. This makes the function of these organs decrease, even stop, depending on how severe the constriction is.
The development of atherosclerosis to cause symptoms is very slow, it can even take decades. However, the following conditions can make a person more at risk or faster to develop atherosclerosis:
- Age above 40 or 50 years old
- Unhealthy lifestyle, such as lazy to move or rarely exercise
- Unhealthy diet and frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages
- Prolonged stress
- Family history of atherosclerosis
Symptoms and Complications of Atherosclerosis
Osteosclerosis initially does not cause symptoms, until the arteries are very narrowed and even closed. As a result, the arteries are no longer able to deliver adequate amounts of blood to the body's organs.
Because the symptoms only appear after years, many people do not realize that they have atherosclerosis until complications arise. Complications that arise can vary, depending on the location of atherosclerosis, including:
Atherosclerosis in the heart
Atherosclerosis in 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 in the limbs
Atherosclerosis in the legs or arms can lead to peripheral artery disease. This disorder is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Pain, cramps, to numbness in the arm or leg area
- Pain when walking and subsides after resting (intermittent claudication)
- The lower limbs feel cold
- Sores on the thumb, sole, or foot that don't heal
Atherosclerosis in 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
- Confused and difficult to speak clearly
- Loss of vision in one eye or both eyes
- Loss of coordination and balance
- Dizziness and headache
- Difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness
Atherosclerosis in the kidney
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:
- Rarely urinate
- Constant nausea
- The body feels very tired and often sleepy
- Swollen limbs
- Confused and hard to concentrate
- Shortness of breath and chest pain
When to go to the doctor
Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the symptoms mentioned above. You also need to go to the ER immediately if you experience symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. Both conditions must be treated immediately, because it can be fatal if you wait a long time.
If you have diabetes or hypertension, make regular check-ups with your doctor to monitor the condition of the disease and prevent possible complications of atherosclerosis.
If you smoke, try to stop the habit. Smoking can not only cause atherosclerosis, but also other diseases. If quitting smoking is very difficult, go to the doctor for a smoking cessation program.
Diagnosis of Atherosclerosis
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 check for the possibility that 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, such as:
- Blood test, to see cholesterol and blood sugar levels
- Ankle-brachial index (ABI), which is a test that compares the blood pressure index of the legs and arms, 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 detect clogged arteries in the legs using sound waves
- Stress test or treadmill ECG examination, 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 it can be seen clearly through X-rays
- Scans with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and CT scans, to check the condition of the arteries
Atherosclerosis Treatment
Treatment of atherosclerosis can be done by three methods, namely lifestyle changes, drugs, and medical procedures.
Changes in daily lifestyle is the main thing that needs to be done. Patients are advised to exercise more often to improve heart and blood vessel health, and reduce consumption of foods high in cholesterol.
In addition to suggesting lifestyle changes, your doctor can also prescribe medications to prevent atherosclerosis from getting worse. These medications can be:
- Medications to prevent blood clots, such as aspirin
- Medications to lower blood pressure, such as beta blockers (beta blockers), calcium antagonists (calcium channel blockers), and diuretics
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins and fibrates
- Medications to prevent narrowing of the arteries, such as ACE inhibitors
- Medications to control diseases that can cause atherosclerosis, such as diabetes medications to maintain 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 solvent drugs or blood clot-breakers.
- Bypass operation
- This procedure is performed by bypassing blocked blood vessels using a blood vessel from another part of the body or a synthetic tube.
- Endarterectomy
- This procedure is performed to remove fat deposits on the walls of narrowed arteries. Usually, this procedure is performed on the arteries in the neck.
- Arterectomy
- This procedure is performed to remove plaque in 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 relaxation (relaxing tense muscles) or meditation
- Get enough rest and sleep
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