“What causes atherosclerosis?”
I'm 60 years old, and my doctor just diagnosed me with atherosclerosis. I'm currently changing my diet and on medications for treatment, but I'm just wondering what is this disease usually caused by? I had no symptoms prior to diagnosis.
2 Answers
CardiologistAtherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a generalized process involving the arteries, although not in a homogenous fashion. Basically, it boils from cholesterol rich plaques in the wall of the arteries. If the plaque burden is 99% occlusive, it’s atherosclerosis, and if it’s 5%, still is called atherosclerosis. Hence, a low burden of plaque will not result in any symptoms.
M.Kevin Ariani, MD FACP, FACC, FSACI
M.Kevin Ariani, MD FACP, FACC, FSACI
Atherosclerosis is the pathological process that causes arteries (the vessels of the body that distribute oxygen and nutrients to the heart, brain, guts, kidneys, limbs, etc.) to get clogged.
It is a unique inflammatory process that can be accelerated by inherited factors, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity and else. It usually contributes to the build-up of atheroma (obstructive lesions in the arteries) which, one they reach a threshold volume, can limit the amount of blood flow that can reach these organs, leading to symptoms (chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, weakness, etc.) and health crises like stroke, heart attack or sudden cardiac death may ensue. Sometimes these atheroma (also called atherosclerosis plaques) can rupture, thus creating a condition prone to clot formation within the culprit artery, which can destabilize the victim by causing sudden death, acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, ischemic bowel (acute guts crisis), limb ischemia (loss of blood flow to the extremities). Atherosclerosis is the underlying condition that kills more fellow humans than any other known condition. It is the right thing to do to see your doctor about it, and to make sure the condition is stabilized with the life style changes (like diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, etc.) and medications.
It is a unique inflammatory process that can be accelerated by inherited factors, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity and else. It usually contributes to the build-up of atheroma (obstructive lesions in the arteries) which, one they reach a threshold volume, can limit the amount of blood flow that can reach these organs, leading to symptoms (chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, weakness, etc.) and health crises like stroke, heart attack or sudden cardiac death may ensue. Sometimes these atheroma (also called atherosclerosis plaques) can rupture, thus creating a condition prone to clot formation within the culprit artery, which can destabilize the victim by causing sudden death, acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, ischemic bowel (acute guts crisis), limb ischemia (loss of blood flow to the extremities). Atherosclerosis is the underlying condition that kills more fellow humans than any other known condition. It is the right thing to do to see your doctor about it, and to make sure the condition is stabilized with the life style changes (like diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, etc.) and medications.
