Atherosclerosis, Conditions that Cause Stroke and Heart Disease
Many people know what atherosclerosis is, but the risks posed by this condition are numerous. Atherosclerosis can be one of the causes of various heart diseases and strokes, and it can even cause death. Many people do not know that they have atherosclerosis, just suddenly suffer from heart disease. To find out how atherosclerosis is formed, let’s look at the following review.
What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing or hardening of the blood vessels because there is plaque in the blood vessels. This plaque is formed from cholesterol, fat, waste products from cells, calcium, and fibrin (a material needed for blood clotting).
Atherosclerosis does not just form, but through quite long stages. Atherosclerosis begins with damage to the endothelium (the lining of the blood vessel walls) caused by high blood pressure, frequent smoking, or high bad cholesterol in the blood. This endothelial damage then develops into plaque formation.
Furthermore, when bad cholesterol passes through this damaged endothelium, cholesterol will enter the walls of blood vessels. This allows white blood cells to flow to the damaged endothelium to help digest bad cholesterol. Over time, cholesterol and these cells build up and form plaque on the artery walls. To form this plaque it can take a very long time to many years.
Plaque is formed from cholesterol, cells, and cell waste materials that protrude on the walls of blood vessels. This plaque will continue to enlarge over time so that it can block blood flow. If it blocks blood flow, it can cause you to suffer from heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.
Blockages in blood vessels can also burst suddenly, causing blood to clot in the area around the broken artery. If this happens in the brain, it can cause a stroke and if it occurs in the heart, it can cause a heart attack. However, the process is long and takes years, so it is not surprising that atherosclerosis affects many older people.
How to prevent atherosclerosis?
Before discussing how to prevent atherosclerosis, you should first know the risk factors that can cause atherosclerosis. From this, we can know what steps to take to prevent atherosclerosis.
Factors that can increase a person’s risk of atherosclerosis are:
- Smoke.
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Family history of having atherosclerosis or heart disease.
- A sedentary lifestyle, such as sitting more and exercising less.
- Being overweight or obese.
- Diabetes.
So, the things you can do to prevent atherosclerosis are:
- Quit smoking. If you smoke, you should stop smoking immediately if you want to avoid atherosclerosis and other diseases. Smoking can damage the walls of blood vessels so that plaque, which can develop atherosclerosis, is easier to build up.
- Change your diet. In addition to quitting smoking, you should change your diet to a healthier diet. Eating too much food that contains saturated fat and trans fat can increase the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. High levels of bad cholesterol in the blood can make plaque grow bigger. In addition to reducing your intake of bad fats, you should also reduce your intake of salt and sugar. Be careful with packaged foods that have been processed, because they are usually high in fat, salt and sugar. We recommend that you choose fresh food rather than packaged food and eat more vegetables and fruit.
- Get regular exercise. One more thing that is important for you to do to reduce your risk of developing atherosclerosis is to exercise regularly. Regular exercise can reduce body blood fat, lower blood pressure, and to control weight. We recommend that you do exercise for 150 minutes per week or 30 minutes per day.
What diseases are associated with atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis can occur in arteries anywhere in the body, including the heart, brain, arms, legs, and kidneys. Therefore, the disease caused by atherosclerosis can vary depending on where the blood vessels are affected. Atherosclerosis can cause diseases, such as:
1. Coronary heart disease (CHD)
Coronary heart disease occurs when plaque develops on the coronary arteries. These arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Plaque that develops in the coronary arteries can narrow the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle. Plaque can also cause blood clots to form in the arteries and cause blocked blood flow. If the blood flow to the heart is reduced or blocked, then you will feel chest pain or even cause a heart attack.
2. Carotid artery disease
This disease occurs when plaque builds up on the carotid arteries located on the sides of your neck. These arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to your brain. So, if blood flow is reduced or blocked due to plaque on the carotid arteries, then you can experience signs of a stroke. If a blood vessel in the brain bursts, it can cause a stroke with the potential for permanent brain damage.
3. Peripheral artery disease
Plaque that builds up on peripheral arteries can cause peripheral artery disease. Peripheral arteries are arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the legs, arms and pelvis. Reduced or blocked blood flow in this area causes pain, numbness, and sometimes infection.
4. Chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease can be caused by plaque that builds up on the renal arteries. If allowed to continue, chronic kidney disease can interfere with kidney function. Meanwhile, the kidneys function to filter waste products in the blood and remove them from the body in the form of urine.
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