atherosclerosis in adults

The very term “atherosclerosis” sounds very menacing. There is evidence that the initial signs of the process can be found even in children and adolescents, and only 5-10% of the elderly do not have pronounced vascular changes.

What is atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a lesion of the walls of blood vessels, mainly large and medium-sized arteries. They are covered with a fatty coating from a mixture of lipids (mainly “bad” cholesterol), are impregnated with fats, irritated, thickened and gradually lose their physiological functions – they expand and contract worse. Plus, accumulations of lipids form plaques inside the vessels, areas where lumps of fat enter the lumen of the vessels, due to which the inner diameter of the artery narrows sharply. Plaques can “crumble”, the vessel wall is damaged, which threatens the development of blood clots in this place. And this means that the flow of blood through such a vessel can completely stop.

Causes of atherosclerosis in adults

Atherosclerosis develops as a result of changes in the body’s metabolism – mainly disorders of fat metabolism, when the ratio of “good” and “bad” cholesterol, as well as triglycerides and chylomicrons (these are different in size and density types of fats) changes.

First, fats form a film on the surface of the vessels, but some of them impregnate the vessel, forming accumulations. And then connective tissue forms around the accumulations of fat, a plaque forms. As the plaque grows, it can narrow the lumen of the vessel, begins to crumble, which causes damage to the vessel. Then the mechanisms of blood coagulation, the formation of a blood clot, which plays the role of “patches” for holes in the vessels, are turned on. A blood clot can completely block the vessel, and blood will no longer flow through it. If a blood clot forms in the brain, heart, or kidneys, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis in adults

Atherosclerosis itself is a modest and silent disease. Changes in the vessels can go unnoticed by the person himself for years and decades. He may feel quite healthy. Meanwhile, plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to almost all vital organs and tissues. The consequences of such changes in the vessels can become various diseases:

• coronary heart disease with the development of angina pectoris, the formation of myocardial infarction;
• violations of the heart rhythm and conduction of impulses, which leads to different types of arrhythmias;
• disorders of the blood supply to the brain with the occurrence of TIA (the so-called transient ischemic attacks, or as they are often called by the patients themselves – mini-strokes), in severe cases, strokes can occur – ischemic, if the vessel clogged a blood clot at the site of the damaged plaque, or hemorrhagic, if the vessel affected by atherosclerosis ruptured and leaked blood (brain hemorrhage).
• dementia – if the vessels of the brain are sharply narrowed due to plaques, the nutrition of nerve cells suffers;
• damage to the aorta (the largest artery in the body) with the development of life-threatening complications;
• thrombosis in the area of ​​the vessels of the abdominal cavity (mesenteric) with severe pain in the abdomen, damage to part of the intestine;
• changes in the arteries of the lower extremities, because of which the gait suffers, pain, lameness and even gangrene occur.

Single symptoms of atherosclerosis is difficult to identify. In many ways, they depend on which of the arteries are damaged more than others. The following signs may appear:

• accelerated skin aging;
• different pulse and pressure on the left and right hands;
• dizziness, the appearance of tinnitus, bouts of dizziness (pre-fainting);
• palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath;
• high blood pressure (both lower and upper);
• abdominal pain with constipation and gas;
• numbness of the legs with a sensation of tingling, crawling;
• pain in the legs while walking, mainly in the calves, which gradually disappear if you stop several times while moving.

Treatment of atherosclerosis in adults

The earlier atherosclerosis is detected and treatment is started, the better the prognosis will be. But it is important to understand that you will need to be treated for the rest of your life, making serious changes in your usual lifestyle. This is the only way to significantly slow down changes in the vessels and prevent complications.

Diagnostics

The vascular changes themselves in atherosclerosis can be suspected if the patient has several risk factors at once. The doctor will determine violations in the metabolism of fats according to a number of tests:

• biochemical research;
• lipidogram (shows the level of different types of cholesterol, triglycerides);
• general blood analysis.

Also, in addition, the doctor will prescribe examinations to determine which organs have suffered the most. Required:

• ECG (including with loads, daily monitoring);
• Ultrasound and doplerometry of the vessels of internal organs;
• angiography with contrast agents;
• spiral tomography with contrast;
• MRI.

The doctor may prescribe other tests.

Modern treatments

The first manifestations of atherosclerosis can be corrected by a therapist, family doctor or cardiologist. The key point of treatment is diet correction, physical activity, lifestyle changes.

Medical therapy includes:

• drugs that lower the level of “bad” blood cholesterol (statins, fibrates);
• agents that reduce the absorption of fat from foods (cholesterol absorption inhibitors, the so-called bile acid sequestrants);
• drugs for the prevention of thrombosis (antiplatelet agents – Aspirin-Cardio, Cardiomagnyl, Thrombital);
• drugs to relieve symptoms.

If the vessels are severely damaged by atherosclerosis, plaques cover a significant part of the vessel lumen, the doctor may recommend surgical treatment. These can be balloon angioplasty (the vessel is stretched with a special balloon), stenting (into the lumen of the narrowed vessel, placing a mesh-frame that expands the lumen).

Prevention of atherosclerosis in adults at home

The most effective treatment for atherosclerosis is to prevent it from an early age. This requires the most healthy diet with a small amount of fat and sugar, regular physical activity, exposure to fresh air, visits to the doctor for preventive examinations.

Popular questions and answers

What is the danger of atherosclerosis, what factors can provoke it and is it possible to completely cure this condition, for example, folk remedies, we were told cardiologist Tomaz Gagloshvili.