Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease is the narrowing and hardening of arterial blood vessels due to the buildup of plaque on the walls of blood vessels. This condition is a common cause of coronary heart disease (atherosclerosis heart disease).
Arteries are oxygen-carrying blood vessels as well as nutrients to and from the heart as well as to all other organs. Clogged arteries due to the build-up of cholesterol plaque will inhibit blood flow to the organs of the body.
At first, atherosclerosis does not cause symptoms. New symptoms appear when blood flow to organs or tissues is inhibited. The build-up of plaque to cause symptoms can take up to years.
Atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease symptoms
Arterial blood vessels clogged with plaque can cause a variety of diseases, including coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
- Coronary heart disease to heart attack, symptoms can be severe chest pain, which can be accompanied by shortness of breath, fatigue, cold sweats, vomiting, nausea, fainting, even death.
- Blockage stroke, symptoms can be sudden paralysis of one side of the limb, paralysis of facial muscles, difficulty speaking, eating and drinking, double vision, balance disorders, confusion, and difficulty understand speech.
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Atherosclerosis usually attack the elderly, but can develop during adolescence. Often, there are no obvious symptoms until a small plaque ruptures so it can take years to find out the disease.
Well, symptoms of atherosclerosis disease will vary depending on which arteries are affected. For further explanation, here are some symptoms based on the type of artery in the body that need to be known.
Carotid artery
This artery is responsible for delivering blood to the brain so that if the supply is limited then it can result in a stroke.
Symptoms of stroke can appear suddenly, including weakness, difficulty breathing, headache, numbness in the face, and paralysis. Therefore, if having a stroke then requires immediate medical treatment.
Coronary artery
This type of artery is responsible for delivering blood to the heart so that if the supply decreases it can result in a heart attack. Therefore, symptoms that will be felt include chest pain, vomiting, experiencing extreme anxiety, coughing, and fainting.
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Coronary Artery Disease: Risk Factors, Causes, Symptoms, Process, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Renal artery
The kidney artery is responsible for supplying blood to the kidneys so that if the supply is limited then it can result in chronic kidney disease.
Arterial blockage in the kidneys will be characterized by symptoms such as loss of appetite, swelling of the hands as well as stiffness, until it is difficult to concentrate.
Peripheral arteries
This one artery is responsible for supplying blood to the arms, legs, and pelvis so if the supply is lacking it can result in numbness of the limbs.
In severe cases, tissue and gangrene deaths can occur, which also increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Causes
The exact cause of atherosclerosis is not yet known for certain, but the disease begins due to damage or injury to the inner lining of the artery (endothelium). Some of the causes of this damage include:
- Diabetes or insulin resistance.
- High levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
- Smo**king habits.
- Obesity or overweight.
- Diseases that cause inflammation, such as arthritis, infection, or lupus.
- Family history with atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, or stroke.
When to See a Doctor?
When experiencing symptoms of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, it is better to immediately go to the hospital. You should immediately go to the emergency room when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. This condition requires immediate treatment as it can be fatal if treatment is not carried out as soon as possible.
Read also:
Symptoms and Causes of heart attack in young females (SCAD)
In addition, you also have to regular control of the doctor in order to monitor the condition of the disease and prevent possible complications of Atherosclerosis to the heart. If you are a smo**ker, it is better to stop this habit immediately, smo**king not only causes atherosclerosis to get worse, but it can also be a trigger of other diseases.
Thank you very much for reading Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Symptoms, Causes, and When To See A Doctor, hopefully useful.
