Arteriosclerosis occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body (arteries) become thick and stiff. Perhaps the most important form of arteriosclerosis is coronary heart disease. This leads to narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle, or to clots within their lumen – both of which block circulation.
Healthy arteries are flexible and elastic, but over time, the walls in arteries can harden, a condition commonly called hardening of the arteries. Hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis), involving principally the vessels of the brain, heart and kidneys, is a major cause of disability or death.
Atherosclerosis a specific type of arteriosclerosis is a disease of the arterial vasculature that is characterized by the disrupted balance and abnormal accumulation of lipids, inflammatory cells, matrix deposits and smooth muscle cell proliferation in and on the artery walls (plaque), which can restrict blood flow.
Arteriosclerosis in man develops earlier and more frequently in individuals with high blood cholesterol levels than in those with normal blood cholesterol. Arteriosclerosis usually affects older people, but it can start to develop during adolescence.
Symptoms:
Atherosclerosis in heart arteries – chest pain or pressure, difficulty breathing, vomiting, coughing
Atherosclerosis in arteries to the brain – facial numbness or weakness in arms or legs, headache, paralysis
Atherosclerosis in arteries in arms and legs – leg pain when walking
Atherosclerosis in arteries to kidney - high blood pressure, kidney failure, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating
Healthy lifestyle changes during young adulthood are associated with decreased risk and unhealthy lifestyle changes are associated with increased risk for subclinical arteriosclerosis in middle age.
Arteriosclerosis: aetiology and symptoms
