Atherosclerosis
Outlook and Prevention
What to expect in the long term
With treatment, you may see improvement in your health, but this may take time. The success of your treatment will depend on the severity of your condition, how promptly it was treated, and whether other organs were affected.
Hardening of the arteries cannot be reversed, but treating the underlying cause and making healthy lifestyle and dietary changes can help slow down the process or prevent it from getting worse.
You should work closely with your doctor to make the appropriate lifestyle changes. You’ll also need to take the proper medications to control your condition and avoid complications.
The complications of atherosclerosis include:
- heart failure
- heart disease
- heart attack
- abnormal heart rhythm
- stroke
- peripheral artery disease, which reduces blood flow to your arms and legs
- kidney failure
- death
Nonmedical treatment and prevention
Lifestyle changes can help to prevent as well as treat atherosclerosis. Unless your atherosclerosis is severe, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes as the first line of treatment.
Lifestyle changes include:
- eating a healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol
- avoiding fatty foods
- adding fish to your diet twice per week
- exercising for 30 to 60 minutes per day, six days per week
- quitting smoking if you’re a smoker
- losing weight if you’re overweight or obese
- managing stress
- treating conditions associated with atherosclerosis, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes
Causes
Plaque buildup and subsequent hardening of the arteries restricts blood flow in the arteries, preventing your organs and tissues from getting the oxygenated blood they need to function. Many factors place you at risk for atherosclerosis. Some risks can be prevented, while others cannot.
Symptoms
Most symptoms of atherosclerosis don’t show until a blockage occurs. Common symptoms include chest pain; pain in your leg, arm; shortness of breath, etc. It’s also important to know the symptoms of heart attack and stroke that can be caused by atherosclerosis which require immediate medical attention.
Treatment
Since atherosclerosis involves a long-winded process during which the walls of the arteries change, it required constant care throughout one’s life, in terms of regulating lifestyle. One must make sure that they are consuming a balanced diet, participating in regular physical activity, etc.
Diagnosis
A heart specialist called a cardiologist may listen to your heart to see if you have any abnormal sounds. They’ll be listening for a whooshing noise, which indicates that an artery is blocked. Your doctor will order more tests if they think you may have atherosclerosis.
Outlook and Prevention
With treatment, you may see improvement in your health, but this may take time. The success of your treatment will depend on the severity of your condition, how promptly it was treated, and whether other organs were affected.
Introduction
Atherosclerosis is a process which occurs on the arterial walls of the body. The risks for developing atherosclerosis increase with age. Harmful fats become deposited in plaque form on the internal walls of the arteries, these plaques are called atheroma.
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