Arteriosclerosis - Symptoms, Causes and Prevention

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Summary about Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is a medical condition in which the arteries become thick and stiff to restrict the blood flow to different organs and tissues of the body. It is gradual process in which arteries become weak due to hardening of their structure and affects the organs especially the heart.
The arteriosclerosis occurs due to deposition of plaque in the inner lining of arteries. Many factors like diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, obesity, smoking, etc. are the reasons behind it.

Symptoms of Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is a condition that affects the cardiovascular system. That’s why the primary symptoms of this condition are mostly related to heart and blood vessels;

• Chest pain or pressure (angina)
• Sudden numbness or weakness of arm or leg 
• Difficulty in speaking.
• Slight loss of vision in one eye
• Drooping facial muscles
• Pain in legs and chest when walking 
• High blood pressure.

Causes of Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is caused by following factors;

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Diabetes
• Consumption of tobacco and smoking
• Obesity
• Medical conditions like lupus, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, that cause inflammation.

Preventive Measures of Arteriosclerosis

To prevent arteriosclerosis, you should change your lifestyle and do the following things;

• Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption
• Do regular exercise 
• Eat healthy 
• Control blood pressure 
• Control blood sugar levels
• Manage stress levels
• Maintain healthy weight

Treatment

Apart from lifestyle changes, the arteriosclerosis can not be cured. Rather you can control its progression. Some surgical treatments are performed if the condition becomes life threatening;

• Angioplasty  and stent placement
• Fibrinolytic  therapy
• Coronary  artery bypass surgery
• Endarterectomy