Atherosclerosis
Symptoms
What are the symptoms of atherosclerosis?
Most symptoms of atherosclerosis don’t show until a blockage occurs. Common symptoms include:
- chest pain or angina
- pain in your leg, arm, and anywhere else that has a blocked artery
- shortness of breath
- fatigue
- confusion, which occurs if the blockage affects circulation to your brain
- muscle weakness in your legs from lack of circulation
It’s also important to know the symptoms of heart attack and stroke.
Both of these problems can be caused by atherosclerosis and require immediate medical attention.
The symptoms of a heart attack include:
- chest pain or discomfort
- pain in the shoulders, back, neck, arms, and jaw
- abdominal pain
- shortness of breath
- perspiration
- lightheadedness
- nausea or vomiting
- a sense of impending doom
The symptoms of stroke include:
- weakness or numbness in the face or limbs
- trouble speaking
- trouble understanding speech
- vision problems
- loss of balance
- sudden, severe headache
Get to a hospital’s emergency room as soon as possible if you experience symptoms of a heart attack or stroke.
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.
Subscribe
Ask the doctor
Rate this article
Find products