Atherosclerosis, or arteriosclerosis, begins innocently: more and more often we feel short of breath after entering the first floor and our calves hurt even after a short walk. If not diagnosed and not treated in time, it may result in a heart attack, stroke or leg amputation.
Each organ is entwined with a network of blood vessels. It is them that the life-giving blood that provides for the proper functioning of the body reaches all tissues. He althy arteries resemble smooth flexible tubes. They contract and expand, which allows blood to flow freely. Unfortunately, the vessels harden with age. Fat particles, proteins and calcium s alts build up on the walls of your arteries. If there is too muchcholesterol(especially low-density cholesterol or LDL) circulating in the blood, it builds up in the walls of the arteries in the form of a so-called plaque, or plaque. They narrow and stiffen the vessels. While cholesterol can appear in any artery, it is most common in the coronary arteries of the heart, the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain, and the arteries that supply blood to the legs. Due to the build-up of atherosclerotic plaque , the blood vesselsnarrow, and it is more and more difficult for the blood to squeeze through them. The heart, which works like a pump, makes it faster and the blood flows faster. Thanks to this, as much blood as needed reaches individual organs, but at the same time it is an excessive effort for the heart itself. So the muscle grows to cope with the task at hand and requires more oxygenated, nutritious blood. Meanwhile, the coronary arteries narrowed with atherosclerotic plaque are too narrow for the overgrown muscle to receive as much blood as it needs. The heart becomes hypoxic. This causes a chest pain called coronary (called angina). Over time, such pain occurs even after a little effort.
Symptoms of atherosclerosis
An increase in the amount of cholesterol in the blood or an incorrect proportion of its fractions usually does not cause any disturbing symptoms for a long time. It is only when our arteries are narrowed by at least half that we notice that something is wrong: we tire more easily, we may have difficulty concentrating and remembering. In very rare cases, cholesterol builds up in the skin and is seen as yellow lumps, usually around the eyelids, elbow flexion, under the breasts. They can tooform in the form of nodules on the tendons of the wrists and the Achilles tendon.
Atherosclerosis - ways to diagnose the disease
Unfortunately, there is no one specialized study that would confirm with certaintyatherosclerosis . When there is a lot of plaque in the arteries, it can be detected by ultrasound. The monitor shows the widening and thickening of the walls of the vessels. An ultrasound examination with a Doppler attachment is useful, thanks to which the doctor can assess the disturbance of blood flow through the vessels. The condition of the coronary arteries can be assessed by computed tomography and coronary angiography. The risk of atherosclerosis can also be estimated by examining the level of cholesterol, its LDL (bad) and HDL (good) fractions, and the concentration of triglycerides in the blood.
Treatment of atherosclerosis
In the event of high levels of blood lipids, the first thing to do is to change your lifestyle: eat he althy food, lose excess weight, increase the dose of exercise, quit addictions. It often restores normal lipid levels. If this does not happen, drugs are used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood (statins, fibrates). Especially statins, when taken regularly, reduce the thickness of the atherosclerotic plaque. Complementary treatment is also taking small doses of aspirin that reduces blood clotting. Unfortunately, there are no drugs that can completely eliminate atherosclerotic changes.
Prophylaxis in the treatment of atherosclerosis
In the prevention of cardiovascular diseases of great importance, and some doctors say that the most important thing is a proper diet. The one that contains everything that is needed to properly nourish the body, and at the same time lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood. An optimal diet to prevent atherosclerosis should include:
- Plant sterols : they are found in e.g. vegetable oils and oilseeds (soybean, sunflower, sesame and nuts). They are natural cell components that perform functions similar to those in plants. what cholesterol meets in human cells. Plant sterols consumed in one meal with cholesterol compete with which one will be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. But plant sterols are faster, so less cholesterol remains in the body, which in turn helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Daily consumption of 1 to 3 g of plant sterols can lower the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) by up to 5-15 percent. Unfortunately, there are too few seeds and oilseeds in our diet. However, you can support yourself by introducing food products enriched with plant sterols (margarines, yoghurts) into the menu.
- Omega-3 fatty acids : They are found in large amounts in oily sea fish, as well as in olive oil and oil, such as rapeseed oil. These acids have a good effect on lowering the level of bad cholesterol and triglycerides and thus reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. Most of the bad cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) in the blood come from food, or it is produced from carbohydrates, for example. If the energy contained in the food is not used by the body, it will be captured and stored by fat cells in the form of triglycerides. In order to ensure that the body does not lack energy to act between meals, special hormones take the appropriate portion of triglycerides from fat cells. They are then converted into free fatty acids and consumed by the body. In people who suffer from digestive system disorders, some of the triglycerides will not be converted into free fatty acids. They will remain in the bloodstream and over time become the cause of atherosclerosis.
- Allicin : is an amino acid in which garlic is very rich. Together with its other ingredients - ajoene and garlicin - it effectively helps lower cholesterol, on average by 10 percent. It is enough to eat 2-3 cloves every day.
- Resveratrol : is a compound from the phenol group that is present in the skin of many fruits, incl. red grapes, mulberries, black currants. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant and protects the arteries against cholesterol. It also raises the level of good cholesterol in the blood. It is worth knowing that when consumed in red wine, it is the most effective.
- Flavonoids : these are plant substances that are present in large amounts, among others in in citrus fruits, vegetables (e.g. tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, lettuce), buckwheat, tea - especially green and red. Flavonoids have a very beneficial effect on the body, and are extremely beneficial to the circulatory system. They reduce the formation of blood clots that cause strokes. They reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which has a low density; its oxidation causes an increase in this density and clogging of the arteries.
- Fiber : It is only found in vegetables, fruits, bran, coarse groats and whole wheat bread. Soluble fiber, i.e. pectin, inhibits the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the intestines, which leads to an increase in its production in the liver and, consequently, a reduction in blood cholesterol levels. In contrast, insoluble fiber acts as a brush, removing excess fat and toxic products from the intestinemetabolism.
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