Atherosclerosis is a medical condition characterized by the accumulation of fatty deposits, called plaques, on the walls of your arteries. Plaques often contain cholesterol, calcium, waste products and fatty substances. Normally, your arteries are flexible and soft, to allow blood to flow through them freely. Fatty deposits on your arteries harden them, making them less flexible and significantly hindering the flow of blood, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. If you have atherosclerosis, you should be under a doctor's care.
Physiology
Cholesterol is a type of lipid, a hydrophobic substance that cannot dissolve in water. Because it cannot dissolve in water, the cholesterol in your body circulates throughout your bloodstream in a solid form. Your body needs some cholesterol to synthesize certain hormones and build the structures of some of your cells. Too much cholesterol, however, remains in the blood, causing damage to and accumulating on the walls of your arteries. While most people develop some accumulation of plaques on the arteries, too much plaque narrows the diameter of the arteries and hardens them.
Cholesterol Numbers
A blood screening can test your cholesterol levels. If your total cholesterol falls between 200 and 239 mg/dL, your cholesterol level is considered borderline-high. If your total cholesterol exceeds 239 mg/dL, you are deemed to have high cholesterol. Cholesterol readings are further divided into types of cholesterol. LDL cholesterol, often referred to as bad cholesterol, should not exceed 129 mg/dL. If your numbers match what is considered to be high cholesterol, you are at an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis.
Because HDL cholesterol, often referred to as good cholesterol, protects against heart disease, the goal is to raise these numbers. HDL cholesterol 60 mg/dL or higher is considered ideal. High HDL cholesterol can actually decrease your risk of developing atherosclerosis.
Symptoms
Mild atherosclerosis does not cause any symptoms. Generally, symptoms do not develop until the flow of blood through the arteries has been almost completely blocked. When symptoms do develop, they vary based on the location of the arteries affected. If atherosclerosis occurs in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, you may experience chest pain or numbness and tingling in your arms. If atherosclerosis affects the arteries that carry blood to your brain, you may experience difficulty speaking, numbness and tingling in your limbs and drooping facial muscles. These signs signal a transient ischemic attack, or mini-stroke. If the peripheral arteries, which carry blood to your legs, are blocked, you may experience leg pain or an increase in the temperature of your leg.
Treatment
The best way to treat atherosclerosis caused by high cholesterol is to change your diet and lifestyle habits. Follow a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat to help reduce your cholesterol numbers and the amount of plaque that has developed in your arteries. Regular exercise is also important, as it can reduce total cholesterol levels, as well as increase HDL cholesterol. If diet and exercise are not enough to significantly lower your cholesterol, your doctor may recommend medication.
