What is vascular atherosclerosis: causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

There are pathologies that develop over a long period, and begin to manifest themselves at the last stage of development. These include atherosclerosis. Its consequences adversely affect important human organs. Some time ago, the disease manifested itself only in older and middle-aged people. Currently, he is diagnosed in the younger generation. Therefore, you need to know what vascular atherosclerosis is, what are the causes and symptoms of this disease.

general information

Atherosclerosis is a slowly ongoing chronic arterial disease associated with impaired lipid metabolism and the deposition of cholesterol on the inner walls of blood vessels. In the arteries, the walls of which are normally covered with a smooth elastic layer, the blood delivers nutrients and oxygen from the heart to tissues and organs. Under adverse conditions, cell breakdown products, cholesterol and calcium are deposited on the inner surface of the vessels. The walls become inelastic, plaques appear, the lumen decreases, blood flow slows down. In severe cases, the vessel is completely clogged, blood circulation stops, which leads to necrosis.

Types of pathology

Symptoms of vascular atherosclerosis and treatment methods depend on which organ they are in. Most often affected:

• The aorta is the largest artery in the human body. For a long time, the disease proceeds unnoticed, detected only with a thorough examination. Over time, burning sternal or abdominal pains occur, which intensify with physical exertion or emotional stress.
• Coronary vessels - nourish the heart, saturating it with oxygen and nutrients. Blockage of blood vessels leads to angina pectoris, manifested by pain attacks. They occur under any load and are localized in the stomach or in the chest area. The patient has a pale skin, cold in the limbs, there is a feeling of fear. The disease progresses rapidly.
• Vascular of the brain - the symptoms of atherosclerosis are manifested by dizziness, sleep disturbance, problems with memory, hearing and vision. Sometimes there is a loss of consciousness, speech is disturbed, a stroke is possible.
  
• Intestine - a violation of the blood supply causes pain in the abdomen, the occurrence of constipation and bloating. At the beginning of the disease, belching and flatulence appear, then peristalsis is disturbed. The pain often appears after eating and the attack lasts more than an hour.
• Renal arteries - at the initial stage, the disease is asymptomatic and progresses slowly. Then blood pressure rises. But, if both kidneys are affected, then the disease develops rapidly.
• Vascular limbs - the symptoms of atherosclerosis are expressed in weakness, fatigue and numbness of the calf muscles. The skin of the legs becomes dry and pale, and when walking there are painful sensations. Without timely treatment, the aches become constant even at rest, ulcers may appear, the worst option is the development of gangrene.

Main reasons

Atherosclerosis occurs and is formed depending on the following factors:

• Heredity - a person's predisposition to vascular diseases.
• Violation of metabolic processes - a change in liver functions, leading to excessive production of cholesterol, which is deposited on the walls of blood vessels.
• Age - what is vascular atherosclerosis - is an ailment associated with blockage of blood vessels and progressing for many years. Therefore, it is often manifested in people over the age of forty.
• Male gender - women are less likely to be infected by statistics.
• Lifestyle - low physical activity, frequent stressful situations, smoking and alcohol.
• Improper diet - eating large amounts of food containing animal fats contributes to the formation of cholesterol.
• Obesity - The deposition of fat in the body contributes to the blockage of blood vessels.
• Disruptions in the endocrine system - diabetes, gout lead to damage to the walls of blood vessels, impaired fat metabolism.
• Psycho-emotional states - the tendency of choleric people to increased excitability puts them at risk.

The causes of the disease are still not fully understood.

Characteristics

Symptoms of vascular atherosclerosis most often occur after a long-latent course of the disease. They may be as follows:

• Heart rhythm disturbance, pain in the sternum after physical exertion or stress - occur with vascular heart disease.
• High blood pressure, impaired coordination of movement are observed as a result of damage to the kidneys and aorta.
• Attention impairment, headaches, memory impairment are associated with problems in the vessels of the brain.
• The presence of lameness, discomfort in the legs, leg ulcers - these are symptoms and signs of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities.
• Abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation - occur with deposits on the walls of the aorta located in the abdominal cavity.

Symptoms usually appear in middle and old age. By this time, significant changes in the vessels are already occurring, plaques block the blood flow, and the patient feels unpleasant sensations. At any time, the vessel may burst and a thrombus may form. Often, more than one organ is affected simultaneously.

Diagnostics

To identify the disease, you must consult a doctor who:

• Conducts a conversation with the patient, identifies complaints, collects a detailed medical history.
• Makes an external examination depending on the localization of the disease: swelling, trophic changes in the skin, the formation of adipose tissue are checked. Then, blood pressure is measured and vascular palpation is performed.

After that, a preliminary diagnosis is made. To clarify it, the following laboratory tests are prescribed:

• General analysis of blood and urine.
• A biochemical blood test with an expanded lipid profile - is done to assess the work of internal organs and detect cholesterol concentrations in the blood. And homocysteine ​​is also determined, its high level indicates a high probability of a heart attack or stroke.

The technique of instrumental examination is carried out to fully diagnose the body and identify all atherosclerotic changes. To do this, appoint:

• ECG - helps to evaluate the work of the heart by a graphical image of pulses.
• Dopplerography - allows the doctor to determine the size of plaques from cholesterol, the condition of the walls of the vessel, the size of the lumen.
• Echocardiogram - provides information on the condition of the coronary vessels that feed the heart.
• Angiography - using a contrast medium, the walls of blood vessels are visible, their defects are detected.
• Rheovasography - the peripheral blood flow system is examined for the presence of cholesterol plaques.
• Aortography - allows you to examine the walls of the aorta.
• MRI - provides an analysis of the large arteries and blood vessels of the brain.

Only after a full examination of the patient and consultation by narrow specialists, a diagnosis is made and treatment of symptoms of vascular atherosclerosis is prescribed.

Therapy

An integrated approach is required and the patient follows all the doctor's recommendations. The fact is that the formed plaques do not completely pass. With the help of medicines and lifestyle changes, you can stop and slow down the process. To achieve success and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease will require a long period, possibly several years.

The treatment of symptoms of vascular atherosclerosis consists of the following steps:

• Lifestyle changes - proper diet, regular exercise, giving up alcohol and smoking will help stop sclerotic masses and reduce the risk of stroke.
• Taking medications - will allow you to control blood pressure and cholesterol in the blood, slow down and stop the progression of the disease.
• Angiography and stenting - the inner lumen of the vessel is evaluated and with the help of a stent, a special metal prosthesis, a section blocked by a thrombus is opened, blood flow is restored. Surgical manipulation is performed through an artery located on the leg or arm.
• Bypass surgery is a cavity operation in which vessels from the limbs are taken and implanted in the affected area. The blood flow path is restored.

Which treatment regimen is decided by the attending physician, given the severity of the pathology and individual characteristics of the patient: chronic diseases, general health.

Symptoms of cerebral arteriosclerosis

The disease has various manifestations depending on the stage of development of the disease:

Initial - pathology without pronounced signs. Small lipid deposits form on the artery walls. They do not rise above the surface and do not interfere with blood flow. But if you carefully consider your health, you will notice that appears:

• fatigue, especially after physical and mental stress;
• intemperance and hostility;
• slight dizziness;
• aching headaches.

All signs pass after rest and sleep. The patient usually does not see a doctor during this period, since he does not attach importance to the first symptoms of atherosclerosis of the head vessels. The treatment begun at this stage of the disease contributes to the complete resorption of the deposits.

In the progression stage, the formation of relief growths occurs. They merge into a single whole and begin to impede blood flow. Cracking of deposits sometimes occurs and small pieces of blood get into small vessels, clogging them. The patient begins to bother:

• prolonged headaches;
• noise in ears;
• insomnia:
• forgetfulness;
• decreased attention;
• visual impairment;
• instability of emotions;
• trembling fingers and head;
• movement coordination disorder.

During this period, the treatment of symptoms of atherosclerosis of the head vessels is carried out by a conservative and surgical method.

At the last stage of atherocalcinosis, when calcium salts are deposited on a cholesterol plaque, it becomes denser and increases in size. And over time, the vessel is completely clogged, and tissue necrosis is formed. The patient's condition is characterized by a pronounced impaired brain function. He has observed:

• paralysis of the limbs;
• disability;
• speech and swallowing are impaired;
• loss of orientation in space;
• urinary incontinence;
• dementia progresses.

With the indicated symptoms of cerebral arteriosclerosis, the consequences are very serious: the patient may have artery rupture or a stroke.

Therapies

The cerebrovascular disease associated with their blockage with cholesterol plaques is incurable, as these changes become irreversible. The main task of the doctor is to prevent further progression of plaque formation and to stimulate the creation of bypass routes of blood flow to inaccessible areas. This is achieved by the appointment of regular individual complexes of physiotherapy exercises, which correspond to the age and capabilities of the patient. Collateral (previously unused) pathways of blood delivery to the site suffering from ischemia are revealed. In addition, walks, massage, water procedures have a positive effect.

Treatment of cerebral arteriosclerosis with a symptom of obesity is aimed at weight loss. At the same time, they limit the calorie content of food, conduct procedures to cleanse the intestines from cholesterol. Drug therapy, together with lifestyle changes, is aimed at dissolving and slowing down the formation of plaques. If necessary, surgery is performed to remove blood clots and vasodilation. And special attention is paid to a diet using products that have an anti-sclerotic effect.

Limb diseases

A serious disease of the arteries of the arms and legs, resulting in partial or complete closure of blood vessels by plaques or blood clots. This interferes with the normal delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. With problems with the upper limbs, the patient feels:

• cold in the hands;
• pain, cramps, fatigue when doing physical work;
• hair loss.

When the first symptoms of atherosclerosis of the limb vessels appear, treatment should be started immediately. Only in the initial stage of the disease does therapy give effective results. The vessels of the legs are also affected quite often. The main symptom that one pays attention to is pain. Quite often, it occurs in the muscles of the calf and thigh. A small clearance in the artery during movement cannot miss enough blood to satisfy the tissue’s need for oxygen and nutrition. The result is pain. At the first stage of the disease, it quickly passes after the termination of the load, and then returns when the movement resumes. The most common symptom of obstruction of the lower extremities is intermittent claudication and the pain caused by it. In the elderly, vascular atherosclerosis is often confused with pain in the joints that occurs with arthrosis. It should be noted that joint pain is more perceived at the beginning of the movement, and then weakens, and muscle pain - on the contrary. In addition, the patient experiences the following symptoms:

• numbness of the feet, chilliness;
• different temperatures in healthy and diseased limbs;
• the appearance of ulcers in the lower leg;
• the formation of darkened areas on the feet and fingers;
• lack of pulse between the ankle and subclavian fossa.

Over time, the lower leg, not getting proper nutrition, can lose weight, hair loss and delamination of the nails will begin. If untreated, gangrene is possible. Therefore, if you detect symptoms of the disease, you should consult a doctor.

Therapy

In the treatment of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the limbs, a comprehensive and individual approach to each patient is used. To do this, use:

• Rejection of bad habits.
• Dietary foods low in fat and cholesterol.
• Weight correction for obesity.
• Constant physical activity.
• Drug treatment is carried out with the use of drugs that reduce the production of fatty and bile acids.
• Surgical intervention in the absence of the effect of conservative therapy. In this case, cholesterol plaques are removed, and the lumen in the vessels increases.

The method of treatment is determined by the attending physician, taking into account all the individual characteristics of the patient.

Heart problems

The main organ that provides blood movement is the heart. Arteries are vessels through which blood enriched with oxygen and nutrients moves from the heart to other organs and tissues, supplying them with nutrition. The elastic walls of the arteries stretch well and are able to withstand significant blood pressure. The heart itself must also receive nutrition. Oxygen is delivered through the small coronary arteries. Due to various metabolic disturbances, cholesterol is deposited on the inner walls of the arteries, gradually narrowing the lumen and interfering with the movement of blood. There is atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart, the symptoms of which are manifested as follows:

• pain in the heart;
• pallor of the skin;
• fast fatiguability;
• shortness of breath when walking;
• dizziness;
• persistent nausea.

Often, the first symptoms of the disease are taken by patients for the manifestation of other ailments, and valuable treatment time is lost in the early stages. With the progression of atherosclerosis appears:

• angina pectoris, manifested by aching in the heart;
• cardiosclerosis - there is swelling, shortness of breath, weakness;
• arrhythmia, characterized by paroxysmal aches, dizziness, fainting.

When there is a complete blockage of the artery, then there is a burning pain, lack of air, clouding of consciousness. With such symptoms of atherosclerosis of the blood vessels of the heart, treatment should not be delayed. The prognosis depends on how quickly and correctly the patient will receive medical care.

Vascular therapy

With an early visit to the doctor, they carry out therapy, prescribing:

• preparations for the regulation of lipid metabolism;
• beta-blockers and inhibitors - relieve pain, prevent the development of the disease;
• anticoagulants - exclude the formation of blood clots;
• special diet;
• physical activity;
• weight loss.

What is atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart - is their blockage with plaques from cholesterol. And when the blood ceases to nourish the main organ, they suggest surgery:

• Bypass surgery - a blocked artery is replaced by a vascular graft (shunt), providing blood flow.
• Angioplasty is a mechanical expansion of the coronary vessels.
• Stenting - a rigid frame is placed in the cavity of the vessel, expanding the lumen.

Timely treatment prolongs the life of the patient.

Neck vascular disease

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These symptoms indicate a blockage of the cerebral vessel and the occurrence of a stroke. The patient needs urgent medical care. The treatment of the patient depends on the stage and severity of the disease, which is determined by the attending physician. Most often, an integrated approach is used: drug therapy, diet, physiotherapy exercises. But in some cases, the only effective remedy is surgery.

Atherosclerosis: symptoms and treatment in the elderly

Low physical activity in old age slows down all metabolic processes, reduces the elasticity of blood vessels. The deposition of cholesterol plaques complicates the blood flow, poorly supplying nutrition to internal organs. Atherosclerosis becomes an extremely dangerous disease and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• dizziness, which is worse when moving;
• gait changes;
• violation of coordination;
• tremor of hands and head;
• memory impairment;
• depression.

A person often cannot concentrate, becomes touchy, his relationships with close people deteriorate. He often notices changes in his health due to the fact that it is difficult for him to perform work that requires increased attention. Atherosclerosis in the elderly develops intensively. Therefore, having noticed the signs of the disease, it is necessary to turn to the doctor more quickly and begin treatment. It is carried out with the help of medications and in an operational way. For therapy, drugs are used:

• preventing the formation of cholesterol in the liver;
• antiplatelet agents to reduce blood coagulation;
• statins that lower blood cholesterol;
• vitamin complexes;
• dissolving atherosclerotic plaques;
• improving lipid metabolism.

In addition, therapeutic gymnastics is prescribed, it is recommended to change the diet, strengthen the nervous system, and regularly visit the attending doctor.

Conclusion

Now you know what vascular atherosclerosis is. This is a very serious and dangerous disease, passing in the initial stages unnoticed, without any obvious signs. In order to avoid it, it is necessary to engage in physical education daily, eat right, eliminate stress, smoking and alcohol. All this will minimize the occurrence of clogging of blood vessels and allow you to live actively until the onset of old age.