Early symptoms of arteriosclerosis

Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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Arteriosclerosis often has many symptoms, which mainly depend on the location of the arteriosclerosis. For example, patients with cerebral arteriosclerosis often experience dizziness, headaches, or confusion, If it is coronary arteriosclerosis, it often causes symptoms of chest tightness or shortness of breath in patients, which tend to be more obvious or worsen after activity, If it is lower limb arteriosclerosis, it often causes pain when walking, which can disappear or significantly reduce after rest.

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Risk factors for arteriosclerosis

The etiology of atherosclerosis is not yet fully understood, but the main risk factors include age and gender. The older the age, the higher the probability of occurrence, and the probability in men is higher than in women. Abnormal blood lipids, with the main treatment target being low-density lipoprotein, hypertension, smoking, glucose tolerance abnormalities, and obesity are all possible risk factors. Additionally, we cannot ignore family history; if there is a history of early-onset coronary heart disease in the family, then this risk factor is also very high. Moreover, personality is related, with Type A personalities being more prone to atherosclerosis. Dietary habits are also related; patients who often eat high-calorie, high-animal-fat, high-cholesterol foods are prone to develop the condition. There are also patients taking oral contraceptives, who are likely to develop atherosclerosis.

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Cardiology
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Can people with arteriosclerosis drink alcohol?

Arteriosclerosis is a very common disease in daily life. After being diagnosed with arteriosclerosis, many patients often feel worried or anxious, and frequently ask their doctor if they can drink alcohol. The answer is yes, patients with arteriosclerosis can drink a moderate amount of alcohol, but should not drink excessively. As the saying goes, good liquor, when consumed properly, can be beneficial to health. Drinking in moderation can have certain health benefits. In addition, while drinking in moderation, it is also important to maintain good living habits, exercise regularly, quit smoking, and control weight to prevent the occurrence and progression of arteriosclerosis. (This should be done under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zeng Wei Jie
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The earliest lesions of arteriosclerosis

The earliest lesion of atherosclerosis is the formation of lipid spots and streaks. The so-called lipid spots are small yellow dots that appear on the arterial intima. Under pathological observation, these are small areas of macrophages containing lipid droplets, forming a cluster of foam cells. As this small yellow dot develops, it gradually turns into a yellow streak made up of layers of macrophages containing lipids. The intima also comprises smooth muscle cells and lipids, as well as an infiltration of T cells, resembling a yellow streak on the intima.

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Written by Zhou Yan
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Is coronary arteriosclerosis serious?

The severity of arterial atherosclerosis is related to the location of the lesion and the narrowing it causes in the coronary arteries. This is because if the blood flow through the coronary arteries is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of the heart muscle, it can lead to ischemia and hypoxia of the heart muscle, causing angina. Severe and prolonged ischemia can lead to myocardial necrosis, or myocardial infarction. When there is significant narrowing in the coronary artery lumen, for instance more than 50%-75%, the situation can be compensated during rest. However, during exercise or rapid heart rate or emotional excitation, the oxygen demand of the heart muscle increases. This may result in mild or transient myocardial oxygen supply, or an imbalance between supply and demand. Another scenario involves unstable atherosclerotic plaques that rupture, erode, or bleed, leading to platelet aggregation or thrombus formation, causing a rapid worsening of luminal narrowing. This results in a decreased supply of oxygen to heart muscle, leading to acute coronary syndrome, which is very severe. In fact, the degree of coronary artery atherosclerosis is positively correlated with plaque stability, plaque location, and the elasticity of the coronary artery.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Early symptoms of arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis often has many symptoms, which mainly depend on the location of the arteriosclerosis. For example, patients with cerebral arteriosclerosis often experience dizziness, headaches, or confusion, If it is coronary arteriosclerosis, it often causes symptoms of chest tightness or shortness of breath in patients, which tend to be more obvious or worsen after activity, If it is lower limb arteriosclerosis, it often causes pain when walking, which can disappear or significantly reduce after rest.