Your arteries, the largest blood vessels in your body, carry blood away from your heart to the other parts of your body. Healthy arteries are thick and flexible and move easily to allow blood to flow through them. If your blood contains high amounts of cholesterol or triglycerides, these fats can accumulate on the arteries, causing them to harden and become abnormally thick. This can disrupt proper blood flow and put excess strain on the heart.
Causes of Atherosclerosis
The fatty deposits that build up on the walls of your arteries are called plaque. The hardening and thickening of the arteries caused by the accumulation of plaque is referred to as atherosclerosis. In addition to high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, other common causes of atherosclerosis include high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are two other common risk factors for atherosclerosis. According to the American Heart Association, atherosclerosis develops gradually over your lifetime. Symptoms usually only develop when the fat deposits impede proper blood flow.
Symptoms
When symptoms do occur, they differ based on which arteries contain fat deposits. If atherosclerosis develops in the coronary arteries, which are the arteries that supply blood to the heart, you may experience chest pain. If atherosclerosis develops in the cerebral arteries, which are the arteries that supply blood to the brain, you may experience numbness, weakness in the arms or legs and difficulty speaking. If the peripheral arteries, which supply blood to your limbs, develop atherosclerosis, you may experience pain while walking, and swelling of the legs.
Treatment
Many people can reverse the accumulation of fat deposits with a change in diet and lifestyle. Reducing fat, cholesterol and sodium intake and increasing intake of fiber, fruits and vegetables can help to reduce the amounts of lipids in the bloodstream. Following a regular exercise routine can also help to reverse atherosclerosis.
If diet and lifestyle are not enough to treat atherosclerosis, your doctor may prescribe a number of medications to help treat the causes of the accumulation of fat deposits. Surgery may be necessary for those with severe blockages in the arteries.
Complications
As with the symptoms, the complications of atherosclerosis also differ based on which arteries are blocked. The most common complications include coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease or peripheral artery disease. Atherosclerosis can also lead to aneurysms, which are bulges in the arterial walls that may burst, and can be fatal.
