Atherosclerosis is a condition where the arteries - the blood vessels that supply oxygen and other nutrients to the body's organs - harden and become narrower. This can restrict the supply of blood running through the arteries.
Atherosclerosis can be dangerous because a restricted blood flow can cause vital organs to stop functioning properly. Also, without a constant supply of blood, the body's tissues may die and become infected with bacteria (gangrene).
Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are two terms that are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they are different.
Arteriosclerosis is a general term that describes any group of diseases where there is a thickening and a loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries. There are three different types of arteriosclerosis:
- atherosclerosis,
- Mönckeberg arteriosclerosis - a type of arteriosclerosis where calcium deposits develop in the middle layer of the artery walls of medium sized blood vessels, and
- arteriolosclerosis - a type of arteriosclerosis that affects the small arteries and arterioles (a branch of an artery that leads to smaller vessels, known as capillaries) .
Atherosclerosis is the most common type of arteriosclerosis. It occurs when fatty, yellow-coloured plaques (atheromas) build up on the artery walls, narrowing the arteries and restricting the flow of blood. One of the most common causes for this is a diet that is high in saturated fat.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Atherosclerosis is a major risk factor for many different conditions involving the flow of blood. Collectively, these conditions are known as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Examples of CVD include:
- deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - blood clots in the legs.
- peripheral arterial disease - a condition where the supply of blood to your legs is blocked, causing muscle pain.
- heart disease.
- strokes, ans
- heart attacks.
CVD is the single largest cause of death in the UK, accounting for approximately 200,000 deaths per year. Most of these deaths result from either heart disease or strokes.
Prevention is best
There are many different factors that can cause your arteries to harden including high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and eating a high fat diet.
As we get older, our arteries naturally get harder, so atherosclerosis tends to be more common in people who are over 40 years of age.
As many CVDs that are associated with atherosclerosis are serious and can prove fatal, much of the treatment for atherosclerosis is focused on prevention.
If you have a high risk of developing a CVD, you can be given different types of medicine to reduce the risk of your arteries hardening. In severe cases of atherosclerosis, surgery may be needed to unblock the arteries.
Atherosclerosis can be prevented by eating a healthy diet, not smoking, taking regular exercise, and drinking alcohol in moderation.