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Arteriosclerosis Calcification: Friend or Foe in Atherosclerotic Plaque Vulnerability

by alexxlab

How does calcification impact atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability. What are the mechanisms behind arterial calcification. Can calcification be both beneficial and detrimental in cardiovascular disease. How do bone biology and chronic inflammation intersect in arteriosclerosis.

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The Dual Nature of Arterial Calcification in Atherosclerosis

Arterial calcification has long been a topic of intense research and debate in the field of cardiovascular medicine. Its role in atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability is complex and multifaceted, leading to the question: Is calcification a friend or foe in the progression of cardiovascular disease?

Calcification in atherosclerosis involves the deposition of calcium phosphate crystals in the arterial walls. This process shares similarities with bone formation and is influenced by chronic inflammation. Understanding the intricate relationship between calcification, plaque stability, and cardiovascular risk is crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies.

The Paradoxical Effects of Arterial Calcification

Are all forms of arterial calcification harmful? The answer is not straightforward. Research suggests that the impact of calcification on plaque vulnerability depends on various factors, including the size, location, and distribution of calcium deposits.

  • Microcalcifications: Small calcium deposits can increase plaque instability and rupture risk.
  • Macrocalcifications: Larger, more diffuse calcifications may actually stabilize plaques and reduce the risk of acute events.
  • Spotty calcification: Irregular, scattered calcium deposits are associated with a higher risk of plaque rupture.

This paradoxical nature of calcification highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of its role in atherosclerosis progression and cardiovascular risk assessment.

Molecular Mechanisms of Arterial Calcification

What drives the process of arterial calcification? The underlying mechanisms are complex and involve a delicate interplay between various cellular and molecular factors.

Key Players in the Calcification Process

  • Osteoblast-like cells: Vascular smooth muscle cells can undergo phenotypic changes, adopting characteristics of bone-forming cells.
  • Osteoclast-like cells: These cells, derived from macrophages, play a role in calcium resorption within the vessel wall.
  • Matrix vesicles: Small membrane-bound structures that serve as nucleation sites for calcium crystal formation.
  • Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs): Signaling molecules that promote osteogenic differentiation and calcification.

Understanding these molecular mechanisms provides insights into potential therapeutic targets for preventing or reversing arterial calcification.

The Role of Chronic Inflammation in Arteriosclerosis Calcification

How does chronic inflammation contribute to arterial calcification? The inflammatory process plays a crucial role in initiating and perpetuating the calcification of atherosclerotic plaques.

Chronic inflammation in the arterial wall leads to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors that promote the differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells into osteoblast-like cells. Additionally, inflammation can disrupt the balance between calcification promoters and inhibitors, favoring calcium deposition.

Inflammatory Mediators and Calcification

  • Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α): Promotes osteogenic differentiation of vascular cells.
  • Interleukin-6 (IL-6): Enhances the expression of osteogenic markers in vascular smooth muscle cells.
  • C-reactive protein (CRP): Associated with increased coronary artery calcification.

Targeting these inflammatory pathways may offer promising avenues for preventing or slowing the progression of arterial calcification.

Biomineralization: The Intersection of Bone Biology and Vascular Calcification

Why does arterial calcification share similarities with bone formation? The process of vascular calcification involves many of the same molecular pathways and regulatory mechanisms found in normal bone mineralization.

This unexpected connection between bone biology and vascular pathology has led to the concept of “osteo-vascularity,” highlighting the shared cellular and molecular mechanisms between these seemingly disparate systems.

Key Regulators of Biomineralization in Arteries

  • Osteopontin: A protein involved in both bone mineralization and inhibition of vascular calcification.
  • Matrix Gla protein (MGP): A potent inhibitor of vascular calcification that requires vitamin K for activation.
  • Osteoprotegerin (OPG): Regulates bone resorption and has been implicated in vascular calcification.
  • Runx2/Cbfa1: A transcription factor essential for osteoblast differentiation, also expressed in calcifying vascular cells.

Understanding these shared pathways provides insights into potential therapeutic strategies that could target both bone and vascular health.

Imaging Techniques for Assessing Arterial Calcification

How can we accurately detect and quantify arterial calcification? Advanced imaging techniques have revolutionized our ability to assess vascular calcification in clinical settings.

Cutting-Edge Imaging Modalities

  • Computed Tomography (CT): Provides detailed information on calcium content and distribution in coronary arteries.
  • Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS): Offers high-resolution images of plaque composition and calcification patterns.
  • Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): Enables visualization of microcalcifications and plaque microstructure.
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET): Can detect active calcification processes using specific radiotracers.

These imaging techniques not only aid in diagnosis but also provide valuable prognostic information and guide treatment decisions.

Therapeutic Approaches Targeting Arterial Calcification

Can we prevent or reverse arterial calcification? While complete reversal remains challenging, several therapeutic strategies show promise in slowing or halting the progression of vascular calcification.

Emerging Treatment Strategies

  • Statins: May help stabilize calcified plaques and reduce inflammation.
  • Vitamin K supplementation: Enhances the activity of calcification inhibitors like MGP.
  • Bisphosphonates: Drugs typically used for osteoporosis that may also inhibit vascular calcification.
  • RANKL inhibitors: Target the RANK/RANKL/OPG axis involved in both bone remodeling and vascular calcification.
  • Calcium channel blockers: May reduce calcium influx into vascular smooth muscle cells.

Developing targeted therapies that specifically address the molecular mechanisms of arterial calcification holds great promise for improving cardiovascular outcomes.

The Impact of Arterial Calcification on Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

How does the presence of arterial calcification influence cardiovascular risk prediction? The detection and quantification of vascular calcification have become important tools in assessing an individual’s risk of future cardiovascular events.

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring, determined through CT imaging, has emerged as a powerful predictor of cardiovascular risk. However, the relationship between calcification and risk is not always straightforward, highlighting the need for a nuanced interpretation of imaging findings.

Factors Influencing Risk Assessment

  • Calcium score: Higher CAC scores generally indicate increased cardiovascular risk.
  • Calcification patterns: The distribution and morphology of calcium deposits can provide additional prognostic information.
  • Progression of calcification: Rapid increases in calcification over time may signify higher risk.
  • Integration with other risk factors: Combining calcification data with traditional risk factors improves predictive accuracy.

Incorporating arterial calcification assessment into risk stratification algorithms can help identify high-risk individuals who may benefit from more aggressive preventive measures.

Future Directions in Arteriosclerosis Calcification Research

What are the most promising avenues for future research in arterial calcification? As our understanding of the complex interplay between calcification, inflammation, and plaque vulnerability continues to evolve, several key areas of investigation are likely to yield important insights.

Emerging Research Priorities

  • Personalized risk assessment: Developing more precise methods for integrating calcification data with other biomarkers and risk factors.
  • Targeted therapies: Identifying novel therapeutic targets that can selectively inhibit pathological calcification while preserving beneficial aspects.
  • Imaging advancements: Refining imaging techniques to better differentiate between stable and unstable calcified plaques.
  • Genetic factors: Elucidating the genetic determinants of arterial calcification susceptibility.
  • Microbiome influences: Investigating the potential role of the gut microbiome in modulating vascular calcification.

These research directions hold the potential to revolutionize our approach to preventing and treating cardiovascular disease associated with arterial calcification.

As we continue to unravel the complexities of arteriosclerosis calcification, it becomes increasingly clear that its role in plaque vulnerability and cardiovascular risk is neither purely friend nor foe. Rather, it represents a dynamic process influenced by numerous factors, each of which may tip the balance towards stability or instability.

The challenge for researchers and clinicians alike is to develop strategies that can harness the potentially protective effects of calcification while mitigating its harmful consequences. By integrating advanced imaging techniques, molecular insights, and targeted therapies, we may be able to achieve a more nuanced and effective approach to managing cardiovascular risk in the context of arterial calcification.

Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond simply viewing calcification as a passive marker of disease progression and instead leverage our understanding of its underlying mechanisms to develop innovative preventive and therapeutic strategies. As research in this field continues to advance, we can look forward to more personalized and effective approaches to cardiovascular care that take into account the complex role of arterial calcification in health and disease.

Calcification in atherosclerosis: Bone biology and chronic inflammation at the arterial crossroads

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Calcification of Arteries: How to Reduce It?

Summary: Atherosclerosis and heart health

Dr. Joel Kahn, MD, shares his experience on how two plant extracts, French maritime pine bark and Centella asiatica, can help slow the progression of atherosclerotic plaque and even help reverse atherosclerosis.

I have devoted my career as a cardiologist to finding ways to treat atherosclerosis—the buildup of plaque in artery walls.

I’ve relied primarily on healthy lifestyle changes, diet, and supplements.

A few years ago, a human study found that a combination of two plant extracts significantly reduced arterial plaque in the carotid arteries when added to diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle counselling.1

I have recommended these plant extracts to thousands of patients and have seen the favorable results firsthand.

Larger studies provide new evidence that arterial calcification and blockages are reversible.

My Clinical Practice

I spent seven years after medical school completing my training in interventional cardiology or using catheters to treat heart disease.

Much of my practice involved inserting stents to prop open coronary arteries that were occluded with atherosclerotic plaque.

But three weeks into my first job, I decided there was a better, more comprehensive approach.

At that time, I read a study in a respected medical journal focusing on atherosclerosis, which often leads to heart attacks and strokes.

The study reported that atherosclerosis had been reversed using lifestyle and diet changes.2

Since then, I’ve combined interventional cardiology with a search for lifestyle and supplement-based methods to stabilize and reverse plaque buildup.

I was particularly impressed by a published study that reported on a combination of extracts of French maritime pine bark and an herbal extract called Centella asiatica.

When added to standard diet, exercise, and lifestyle counselling, these two plant extracts improved plaque stability and reduced size and numbers of arterial plaques. 1

The study involved 50 patients with plaque in the carotid arteries, which
supply blood to the brain, neck, and face. These patients had no history of
cardiovascular events, and did not have diabetes or metabolic problems. 1

Over the three-month study period, pine bark + Centella asiatica extracts reduced carotid artery plaque and lowered the number of plaques compared to a control group.

After these scientific findings were published, this pine bark-Centella extract combination became a routine
part of my atherosclerosis reversal program.

The Evidence Mounts

I grew more convinced of the effectiveness of this plant combination when a larger, longer-term study was published in 2017.3

This time, 391 subjects were followed for four years.

All had asymptomatic atherosclerosis of either the carotid artery or the femoral artery (which provides blood to the leg). Atherosclerotic lesions extended 50%-60% into the arteries in at least one location.

Three treatment groups were formed. One was treated with extract of pine bark alone, another was treated with pine bark and Centella asiatica, and a third control group received no extracts. All groups received standard diet, exercise, and lifestyle counselling.

The rate of plaque progression, measured by ultrasound, was significantly lower in both treatment groups than in the control group. The group that took the combination of the two extracts had the greatest reduction in progression of plaque thickness and length.

The extracts also had a favorable impact on cardiovascular outcomes as follows:

  • The occurrence of angina, chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the
    heart, was less than 3% in the two extract groups, compared with 6. 25% in
    control patients.
  • The rate of heart attacks was significantly lower for the
    combination therapy.
  • Events requiring hospital admission occurred in 16.4% of control subjects, 8.9% of subjects using only French maritime pine bark extract, and just 3.3% of patients using the combination of pine bark and Centella extracts.

Pine Bark –

Centella Extracts in Practice

I have used this combination with countless patients in my clinic who have plaques clogging their carotid arteries.

I use the carotid intima-media thickness (ultrasound) test to identify and track carotid plaque status.

This test measures the thickness of the inner layers of the carotid artery, the intima and the media.4

Increased plaque means greater thickness, enabling this carotid ultrasound test to reveal atherosclerosis even in people with no symptoms.

I routinely observe reversal of plaque in patients taking the pine bark + Centella extract combination. I have even seen arterial age drop 10 to 20 years after only one or two years of therapy.

Preventing Arterial Plaque Progression

My use of these extracts has recently expanded again, based on data published in 2020.

This Italian trial involved 84 normal weight to mildly overweight subjects with asymptomatic atherosclerosis in their carotid and femoral arteries, determined by high-resolution ultrasound.

These atherosclerotic subjects were treated with similar interventions as the studies already discussed. The duration of this trial was three years.5

Patients with an atherosclerotic plaque that was blocking less than 50% of an artery and those with an atherosclerotic plaque blocking more than 50% of an artery were included in this trial.

All patients were given diet, exercise, and lifestyle counselling.

One group received no additional treatment, a second took 100 mg a day of aspirin, and a third received the aspirin plus the combination of extracts of French maritime pine bark (150 mg/day) and Centella asiatica (450 mg/day).

At the end of the three years, more than 20% of patients in the standard management and the aspirin group had progressed to more severe and extensive atherosclerotic plaque.

Among patients treated with aspirin + pine bark + Centella, only 5.3% of patients experienced plaque progression.

In the diet, exercise, and lifestyle-counselling group, 22% suffered a cardiovascular event requiring hospitalization. That number declined to 12% in the aspirin group and to just 3. 5% in the group taking aspirin plus the two plant extracts.

What you need to know

Reducing and Reversing Plaque Progression
  • Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque in artery walls.
  • A combination of two plant extracts significantly reduced arterial plaque in the carotid arteries.
  • French maritime pine bark-Centella asiatica extracts prevent plaque progression.
  • This combination of plant extracts may reverse the progression of atherosclerosis.

Oxidative stress, a driver of atherosclerosis, was measured in the blood of all subjects and was lower in the group taking the pine bark and Centella extracts. This makes sense since both these plant nutrients are free-radical scavengers.

Decrease of Coronary Artery Calcification

The same research team evaluated the efficacy of the pine bark-Centella combination in asymptomatic atherosclerotic patients with coronary artery calcifications. 6

Patients with atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries —those that supply the heart with blood—can experience angina, shortness of breath, and even a heart attack.7

The study included three groups of 30 men each with asymptomatic coronary artery calcifications. Although they didn’t have angina or shortness of breath, the calcification in their arteries indicated progressive atherosclerosis.

All subjects received standard diet, exercise, and lifestyle counselling and took 100 mg/day of aspirin.

The first group received no additional treatment. The second added 150 mg/day of French maritime pine bark extract. The third used the combination of 150 mg/day pine bark and 450 mg/day of Centella asiatica extracts.

After one year, there was a 35% increase in the number of coronary artery calcifications in the group that received diet, lifestyle, and exercise counselling plus aspirin. In those also taking pine bark alone,
new calcifications were halted.

In those using the pine bark + Centella there was a significant 10% decrease in the number of calcifications, a remarkable result.

Testing in Patients with Stents

To evaluate the impact of pine bark and Centella asiatica extracts on atherosclerotic plaque progression in stented arteries, 160 stented patients with partial arterial blockage due to atherosclerotic changes (as determined by ultrasound) were grouped into one of three treatment arms.8

The study began 6-10 months after successful stent procedures, and patients were followed for 12 months.

All groups received diet, exercise, and lifestyle advice along with anti-platelet medication and low-dose statin. A second group received, in addition, the pine bark extract; and a third group received extracts of pine bark and Centella.

After 12 months, progression of atherosclerotic lesions on inner artery walls occurred in 6.7 times more patients in the diet, exercise, lifestyle, and medication-only group compared to the group that also received the combined pine bark + Centella extracts.

In fact, in just one year, nearly 60% of patients in the group that did not receive the plant extracts had marked progression of their atherosclerosis.

By contrast, among subjects who received the additional pine bark extract without Centella, only 18.5% experienced atherosclerosis progression.

Most remarkable of all, though, were the results in the pine bark + Centella extracts group. Just 8.9% of these patients had progression of atherosclerotic plaques.

In both groups that received extracts, there was a significant reduction in oxidative stress. No side effects or tolerability problems were observed with the plant extracts.

Summary

These studies consistently show that the combination of French maritime pine bark and Centella asiatica extracts slows and may reverse the progression of atherosclerosis.

The published findings reveal significant reductions in adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

I’ve observed these powerful results in my clinic as well.

The combination of these plant extracts (pine bark + Centella) has promise for millions of people with atherosclerosis.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension® Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

Joel Kahn, MD, is the founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity in Bingham Farms, Michigan.

Conclusion: Lifestyle and atherosclerosis

There are several risk factors, such as age and family history, poor daily habits, and diabetes and obesity, that can contribute to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. As Dr. Kahn explains, making lifestyle changes can support overall cardiovascular health. Incorporating French maritime pine bark and Centella asiatica extracts into your wellness routine can help stabilize atherosclerotic plaque and protect against atherosclerosis.

References

  1. Luzzi R, Belcaro G, Ippolito E. Carotid plaque stabilization induced by the supplement association Pycnogenol(R) and centella asiatica (Centellicum(R)). Minerva Cardioangiol. 2016 Dec;64(6):603-9.
  2. Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW, et al. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? The Lifestyle Heart Trial. Lancet. 1990 Jul 21;336(8708):129-33.
  3. Belcaro G, Dugall M, Ippolito E, et al. Pycnogenol(R) and Centella asiatica to prevent asymptomatic atherosclerosis progression in clinical events. Minerva Cardioangiol. 2017 Feb;65(1):24-31.
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  5. Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Scipione C, et al. Delayed progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events in asymptomatic patients with atherosclerotic plaques: 3-year prevention with the supplementation with Pycnogenol(R)+Centellicum(R). Minerva Cardioangiol. 2020 Feb;68(1):15-21.
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Vascular Reconstructive Surgery / Taastava Kirurgia Kliinik

Reconstructive vascular surgery deals with the restoration of the blood supply if it is interrupted or disturbed in any part of the body. The most common causes of blood supply interruption are:

  • atherosclerosis or calcification of the arteries
  • vascular embolism and thrombosis
  • vascular injury

Atherosclerosis or calcification of the arteries is a common disease of the body in which fatty substances begin to deposit in the inner layer of the artery wall. As a result of this process, the wall of the artery thickens, calcifies and loses its elasticity. The damage formed on the calcified wall is the cause of a thrombus, which ultimately leads to blockage of the vessel lumen. In this regard, there is a lack of blood supply to an organ or tissue – ischemia.

Calcification of blood vessels is a process that continues for decades. The first complaints in connection with the disease can appear in men already from the age of 50. Compared to men, women are several times less likely to get sick, and problems usually begin 10 years later.

Age, male gender, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, excess of bad cholesterol in the blood and lack of good cholesterol, smoking, excess weight, heredity contribute to the disease.

Embolism and thrombosis of blood vessels

An arterial embolism is a sudden occlusion of an arterial lumen resulting from the circulation of abnormal particles (emboli). In certain situations, such emboli can be carried by blood flow to the brain, causing a violation of its blood supply, which can manifest itself as an ischemic stroke of the brain. Due to the lack of blood supply to the limbs, pain, coldness, pallor and impaired motor functions occur in them.

Injury to blood vessels. Injuries to blood vessels can be either acute or blunt. In the case of an acute injury, a blood vessel is damaged by a sharp or cutting object. In blunt trauma, the inner lining of the blood vessel is torn due to stretching or excessive pressure on the blood vessel. A rupture of the inner lining of the wall of a blood vessel can, under the influence of blood flow, turn into a valve and prevent further blood circulation. This condition requires immediate surgical intervention.

Usual course of illness

If the narrowing or blockage of a blood vessel proceeds slowly, then the body has time to develop workarounds – collateral blood vessels. Such a “bypass” blood supply may be sufficient to ensure the reliable operation of an organ or limb. If the disease is acute and the narrowing or blockage of the blood vessel develops within a very short time, then it is necessary to restore the blood supply away from the place of narrowing or blockage.

Surgical treatment of disease

There are various methods for restoring the blood supply in vascular surgery. With the help of a shunt, blood is directed past the damaged area. As another possibility, the damaged area is cleaned and the normal flow of blood in the artery is restored. The patency of the vessel can be restored using radiological methods, during which the site of the narrowing is expanded. Radiological intervention is possible only at an earlier stage of the disease, when vascular damage is not so extensive. During surgery, the patient’s complaints decrease or stop altogether, but the disease as such is not treated during the operation.

Signs of arteriosclerosis

With the gradual development of the disease, patients complain, first of all, of a feeling of cold in the legs, to which difficulty in walking is added in the future. In case of difficulty in walking or intermittent claudication, patients complain mainly of pain that occurs in the muscles of the legs (calves) when walking a certain distance. With the progression of the disease, the distance traveled without pain decreases. Surgical treatment should be considered already when you are able to walk less than 100 meters.

As the disease progresses, painful sores may appear on the legs, causing night pains. They allow you to keep your foot in bed for only a limited time; pain is relieved by sitting or walking. At the final stage, the pains become constant, and there is a danger of tissue necrosis or gangrene. In the case of an acute onset of the disease, the limb becomes pale, cold and sore. Ordinary painkillers do not relieve pain. In the case of an acute onset of the disease, surgical treatment is unavoidable, and a vascular surgeon should be consulted as soon as possible.

ABC-medicine

Atherosclerosis is a chronic arterial disease that occurs due to a violation of fat and protein metabolism and is accompanied by the deposition of cholesterol and lipoproteins on the inner walls of blood vessels. These deposits form in the form of plaques. Due to the subsequent growth of connective tissue in them (sclerosis) and calcification of the walls of the vessels, deformation and narrowing of the lumen occurs up to blockage of the vessel. The main danger of atherosclerosis is a significant increase in the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Due to the fact that the disease becomes the main cause of this and other serious health problems, the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis should be given due attention.

The treatment of atherosclerosis is complex and includes a number of activities related to lifestyle changes, dietary changes, giving up bad habits, as well as drug treatment that helps restore normal metabolism in the body.

Causes and risk factors of atherosclerosis

Doctors call the root of the problem of atherosclerosis a violation of cholesterol metabolism. In the modern world, the formation of atherosclerosis begins naturally from about 10–15 years of age. With age, this process can slow down or speed up. There are also a number of risk factors for atherosclerosis that accelerate plaque formation.

Pos. Men are more susceptible to the development of atherosclerosis than women. The first symptoms of this problem can be noticeable already from the age of 45 or earlier, in women – only from the age of 55. Presumably this is due to the more active participation of estrogens and low and very low density lipoproteins in cholesterol metabolism.

Age. With age, manifestations of atherosclerosis become more noticeable, this is a natural risk factor.

Heredity. In the increase in the intensity of the development of atherosclerosis, a significant role is played by such hereditary factors as the level of hormonal levels, the activity of the immune system, hereditary dyslipoproteinemia (impaired plasma lipid profile).

Bad habits. It has been proven that smoking contributes to the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels. Like alcohol, it leads to a regular and systematic increase in blood pressure, which aggravates the course of atherosclerosis and negatively affects the functioning of the heart.

Overweight. In overweight people, the concentration of cholesterol in the blood is increased. As a result, atherosclerotic plaques form on the weakened areas of the vessels.

Diabetes. Atherosclerosis in diabetes has a number of features: it proceeds more aggressively, there is a tendency to complicated lesions with the formation of aneurysms, it develops in diabetes at an earlier age.

Food. You should eat rationally and adequately to your needs and energy costs. The accumulation of cholesterol contributes to the use of products such as butter, fatty meat, milk with a fat content of more than 2%, etc., and vegetable oil, fish, herbs, cereals, vegetables, on the contrary, reduce the development of atherosclerosis. Largely due to nutritional characteristics, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases among representatives of eastern peoples (Chinese, Japanese) is lower than among Europeans, and life expectancy is longer.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis

Symptoms of atherosclerosis (impaired blood supply to tissues) are:

  • cold extremities and discoloration to bluish-white;
  • discomfort in the region of the heart, palpitations;
  • memory impairment and poor concentration;
  • mood change to predominantly nervous and irritable;
  • feeling of general fatigue and weakness.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the brain are cerebral ischemia and deterioration of brain functions, which is manifested by a weakening of memory, a decrease in intellectual abilities, and a change in the psyche. Atherosclerosis of the renal arteries causes renal ischemia and arterial hypertension. Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the arteries of the legs are coldness of the legs, pain in the calves while walking. In addition, ulcers and, in severe cases, gangrene may develop. Atherosclerosis of the mesenteric arteries is manifested by dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract and intestinal necrosis, including pain in the upper abdomen.

When the first signs of atherosclerosis appear, you should immediately consult a doctor, since at an early stage of development the process can be stopped by changing your lifestyle.

Consequences of atherosclerosis

Since atherosclerosis is based on a disorder of lipid (fat) metabolism in the body, leading to damage to the walls of blood vessels, the disease can contribute to partial or complete dysfunction of any organ. The consequences of atherosclerosis can pose a serious danger to human health and life. The main possible complications include the following.

Coronary heart disease. Atherosclerosis can lead to the development of cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac arrest, since the narrowing of the coronary vessels leads to the fact that the heart muscle receives less oxygen, and the heart, compensating for its deficiency, increases its work.

Violation of the brain. Without treatment, atherosclerosis of the brain can lead to a deterioration in the blood supply to the brain and, as a result, stroke, paralysis, systematic headaches, dizziness, visual and hearing disorders, swallowing and speech disorders, etc. Deterioration of blood circulation in the tissues of the eyes leads to a gradual decrease in visual acuity which cannot be compensated. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the treatment of cerebral atherosclerosis in time.

Thrombosis of the mesenteric arteries. Atherosclerosis can cause acute blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the intestines, as evidenced by severe abdominal pain.

Shriveled kidney. Lack of oxygen in the tissues can lead to the gradual destruction of the renal tissue, in place of which connective scar tissue forms. The kidney decreases in size and partially loses its functions.

Diagnosis of atherosclerosis

For the diagnosis of atherosclerosis, a complete examination is performed, which includes the collection of complaints by a doctor, determination of the presence of risk factors, direct examination of the patient with measurement of blood pressure and identification of the presence or absence of:

  • cardiac arrhythmias;
  • lipid metabolism disorders;
  • murmurs in the region of the heart.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is often performed to diagnose atherosclerosis and determine the presence of conduction and abnormal heart rhythms. The examination may include ultrasound examination (ultrasound) of the heart and abdominal organs, measurement of blood cholesterol levels, Dopplerography of the vessels of the extremities.

Prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis

The treatment of cerebral atherosclerosis and other types of the disease should be approached comprehensively and carried out in several directions.

Non-drug therapy. It can also be considered as a disease prevention. The essence of the process is to eliminate risk factors and correct the patient’s lifestyle. A person should eat right, maintain optimal body weight, increase physical activity, give up bad habits, and minimize stress factors.

Medical therapy. It is used when cholesterol levels cannot be reduced through lifestyle and dietary changes.