Vascular sclerosis (atherosclerosis) is a disease of the human cardiovascular system associated with damage to the walls of blood vessels by cholesterol deposits. With atherosclerosis, the walls of the arteries are covered with fatty layers, and eventually thick cholesterol plaques, which lead to their narrowing and blockage.
The development of atherosclerosis and disruption of the cardiovascular system entails coronary heart disease, brain, other internal organs, and can also lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, the development of severe forms of diabetes, renal failure, gangrene of the extremities and other diseases caused by oxygen deficiency nutrition.
Causes of Atherosclerosis
The main culprit in the development of atherosclerosis is cholesterol. In the normal life of the body, cholesterol acts as a building material, however, an increase in its level in the blood leads to the fact that it, along with other lipids and calcium salts, settles on the inner wall of the blood vessel, forming cholesterol plaques. In these places of the vessels, connective tissue grows, the walls become more dense and less elastic, which leads to their rupture or contributes to the development of thrombosis.
An increase in blood cholesterol, which causes vascular sclerosis, is a consequence of metabolic disorders, mainly due to malnutrition. In addition, in some cases, the cause of atherosclerosis can be a sedentary lifestyle, hormonal failure, and excessive obesity.
Symptoms of vascular sclerosis
There are very few cases when all arteries are affected with atherosclerosis. Usually distinguish the symptoms of damage to the circulatory system of the heart, blood vessels of the brain, kidneys, legs.
Atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart is recognized by compressive pain in the region of the heart or sternum, radiating to the left arm or left side of the neck.
With sclerosis of the cerebral vessels, weakening of the memory, a decrease in brain performance, fatigue during mental work, irritability, head noise, dizziness are observed.
Sclerosis of the vessels of the legs is characterized by impaired gait, weakness in the legs, pain and cramps in the calf muscles.
Atherosclerosis Treatment
Treatment of vascular sclerosis begins with the correction of the patient’s nutrition and the preparation of appropriate diets from foods that lower blood cholesterol. This is, first of all, vegetables, fruits and juices, dairy products, green tea, nuts, seaweed and seafood. Meat and meat products, especially those rich in fats, as well as bakery, confectionery and vegetable fats rich in cholesterol, are excluded from the diet.
In complicated forms of the disease, medications are prescribed that lower blood cholesterol and slow down the cholesterol production process. However, the treatment of atherosclerosis with medications is individual for each person, therefore, you should first consult your doctor.
A prerequisite for recovery is physical activity and a set of gymnastic exercises in accordance with the capabilities of the patient's body.
Physiotherapy using a traveling pulsed magnetic field has become widespread in the treatment of vascular sclerosis. When exposed to organs, it normalizes the tone of blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, restores metabolism, improves sleep and the general emotional state of the patient.
Vascular sclerosis is a chronic disease in most cases. But, having changed your lifestyle, adding more activity, healthy food and positive emotions to it, with the support of modern medicine, it is quite possible to improve your condition and recover.