In this part of the world, it is usually thought that only fat or obese and older  persons are at risk of having a heart disease or heart attack as many refer to it. This isn’t so!

Atherosclerosis Risk Factors

Atherosclerosis starts when you’re young. Research has found that even teenagers can have signs.

If you’re 40 and generally healthy, you have about a 50% chance of getting serious atherosclerosis in your lifetime. The risk goes up as you get older. Most adults older than 60 have some atherosclerosis, but most don’t have noticeable symptoms.

These risk factors are behind more than 90% of all heart attacks:

-Abdominal obesity (“spare tire”)

-Diabetes

-High alcohol intake (more than one drink for women, one or two drinks for men, per day)

-High blood pressure

-High cholesterol

-Not eating fruits and vegetables

-Not exercising regularly

-Smoking

-Stress

It is important to be educated about factors that predisposes one to heart related issues and who are at risk of having a heart disease.

The heart is important because it pumps blood around your body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to your cells and removing waste products.  The absence of pain, signs and symptoms in the heart does not mean the heart is healthy or that all is well with the body.

Atherosclerosis is one of the disease of the heart that possibly doesn’t show signs or symptoms till it has a more damaging effect.

Atherosclerosis is a hardening and narrowing of your arteries. It can put blood flow at risk as your arteries become blocked.

You might hear it called arteriosclerosis or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It’s the usual cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease — what together are called cardiovascular disease.

The good news is that you can prevent and treat it.

 Causes

Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart throughout your body. They’re lined by a thin layer of cells called the endothelium. It keeps the inside of your arteries in shape and smooth, which keeps blood flowing.

Atherosclerosis begins with damage to the endothelium. Common causes include:

-High cholesterol

-High blood pressure

-Inflammation, like from arthritis or lupus

-Obesity or diabetes

-Smoking

That damage causes plaque to build up along the walls of your arteries.

Atherosclerosis Signs and Symptoms

You might not have symptoms until your artery is nearly closed or until you have a heart attack or stroke. Signs can also depend on which artery is narrowed or blocked.

Symptoms related to your coronary arteries include:

-Arrhythmia, an unusual heartbeat

-Pain or pressure in your upper body, including your chest, arms, neck, or jaw. This is known as angina.

-Shortness of breath

Symptoms related to the arteries that deliver blood to your brain include:

-Numbness or weakness in your arms or legs

– A hard time speaking or understanding someone who’s talking

-Drooping facial muscles

-Paralysis

-Severe headache

-Trouble seeing in one or both eyes

Symptoms related to the arteries of your arms, legs, and pelvis include:

-Leg pain when walking

-Numbness

Symptoms related to the arteries that deliver blood to your kidneys include:

-High blood pressure

-Kidney failure

How to Prevent and Treat Atherosclerosis

  1 Lifestyle changes:You can slow or stop atherosclerosis by taking care of the risk factors. That means a healthy diet, exercise, and no smoking. These changes won’t remove blockages, but they’re proven to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

  2 Medications : The physician can prescribe drugs for high cholesterol and high blood pressure that will  slow and may even halt Atherosclerosis. They could also lower your risk of hearts attack and strokes.

3 Surgery : Your doctor can use more invasive techniques to open blockages from atherosclerosis or go around them. Examples of such surgeries include ;

– Angiography and stenting

– Bypass surgery

– Endarterectomy

– Fibrinolytic therapy

Keep yourself healthy, practice healthy habits, exercise regularly and feed healthy.

Say no to Junk!!!