When fat deposits build up on the inside of arteries and harden, they cause plaque. This is called hardening of the arteries, or arthrosclerosis. The American Heart Association reports approximately 75 percent of heart disease deaths are attributed to hardening of the arteries.
As plaque buildup grows, the oxygen and blood supply flow is reduced. The function of the heart, brain and other organs are unable to function properly due to the impeded blood circulation.
If the artery becomes completely blocked by hardened fat deposits, the tissue supplied by the artery can die.
No symptoms are apparent in the early stages of hardening of the arteries.
Major Organs Affected by Hardening of the Arteries
Hardening of the coronary arteries can cause heart attack, angina, abnormal heart rhythms and congestive heart failure.
Hardening of the arteries of the brain, or cerebral arteries, can cause stroke and transient ischemic attack.
When the carotid artery is affected, blood supply to the brain is diminished. This condition, called cerebrovascular disease, usually is seen in adults over 50.
Peripheral vascular disease occurs when the arteries supplying the legs are affected by hardening of the arteries.
Risk Factors You Can Change
Hardening of the arteries does not have a proven cause, but there are factors have been identified that help the development and progression of the disease.
Changes in lifestyle could substantially reduce risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, cigarette smoking, lack of exercise and unhealthy diet.
Risk Factors You Cannot Change
Until menopause, women are at lower risk of hardening of the arteries than men. Advancing age increases the risk of arteriosclerosis, as well as family history of heart disease or high cholesterol.
African Americans are at risk as they are prone to high blood pressure at an early age.
Symptoms of Hardening of the Arteries
Until the artery is sufficiently blocked, hardening of the arteries seldom causes symptoms. Sometimes the first symptom is sudden cardiac death.
Coronary symptoms can include sweating and anxiety with shortness of breath and chest pain.
Numbness, loss of speech, blindness, difficulty swallowing or partial paralysis can be symptoms of arteries to the brain being blocked by hardening of the arteries.
Peripheral vascular disease can cause leg pain or skin damage as the blood supply is lost due to hardening of the arteries. In severe cases, skin wounds may refuse to heal and complications could lead to amputation.
Hardening of the arteries can also affect the kidneys, causing kidney failure.
Treating Hardening of the Arteries
Stopping the progression of hardening of the arteries includes medication, angioplasty and surgery, but it is preferable to diminish the symptoms with lifestyle changes.
Bringing blood pressure, blood sugar levels and lipid levels within range by diet and exercise or medication will help restore blood flow.
Smoking raises carbon monoxide, which can constrict already narrowed arteries.
Balloon angioplasty, stenting and bypass surgery can keep blood flowing through arteries affected by hardening of the arteries.
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