Healthy arteries have an elastic quality that helps distribute blood from the heart to organs and tissues of the body. When the arterial walls are rigid, the heart has to work harder to distribute blood to the body. Arteriosclerosis is often regarded as a natural result of the aging process but there are a number of things you can do to lessen the chances of becoming affected.
Major risk factors for arteriosclerosis are obesity, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. All of these can be managed through proper lifestyle choices.
Obesity
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 30 percent of Americans between 50 and 59 are obese. Carrying the extra weight of fat tissue puts additional strain on the heart and the arteries that supply blood to the body. In order to pump blood to all of the parts of the body, the heart and blood must exert tremendous pressure against the arterial walls. Over time, the arterial walls adapt by becoming stiff and indistensible. Coupled with the accumulation of cholesterol, circulation is compromised and the chances of having a heart attack or stroke rise exponentially.
Cigarette Smoking
Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Cigarette smoke (including second hand or passive smoke) contains carbon monoxide and hundreds of toxic chemicals that can damage the delicate lining of the arteries. It also increases platelet activity that can lead to less distensibility of the arteries and increases the risk for a heart attack or stroke.
High Blood Pressure
Unmanaged blood pressure can damage the lining of the arteries and contribute to atherosclerosis---a form of arteriosclerosis that affects the coronary arteries of the heart. Similar to other risk factors, the arterial walls compensate for high blood pressure by becoming more rigid, leading to poor circulation and other serious complications heart and kidney failure.
High Cholesterol
High cholesterol levels result in the accumulation of calcified plaque on the inside of the arterial walls. Over time, the accumulation can progress to the degree where the arteries become completely occluded. If this occurs in the coronary arteries, a heart attack ensues. If it occurs in the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain, a stroke results. If it occurs in the arteries the supply blood to the lower extremities, claudication or peripheral artery disease (PAD) results.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder that results from high concentrations of blood glucose in the bloodstream. High blood glucose levels injure the endothelial lining of the arteries and promote atherogenesis, or hardening of the arteries.
