Atherosclerosis Of The Great Arteries - Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Atherosclerosis of the great arteries

Content:

• What is great artery atherosclerosis?
• Disease symptoms
• Causes of the disease
• Diagnostics
• Treatment of atherosclerosis of the great arteries

What is great artery atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis of the great arteries is a chronic disease that is expressed in narrowing of the lumen or complete blockage of blood vessels in the head, neck and extremities. It is accompanied by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques (lipid infiltrations) due to calcification and proliferation of connective tissue. This ultimately leads to insufficient blood circulation in the brain or limbs.

Atherosclerosis, affecting the main arteries of the lower extremities, is observed most often. Mostly this pathology manifests itself in men who have crossed the age limit of 40 years. But after a woman enters the postmenopausal period, the chances of developing atherosclerosis in both sexes are equal. The same applies to atherosclerosis of the main arteries of the head and neck.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the great arteries

Depending on which main arteries were damaged by atherosclerosis, the symptoms of the disease will differ.

If we are talking about damage to an artery of the brain, then a person will experience:

• Attacks of headache and dizziness of varying intensity;
• Tinnitus;
• Difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, feeling sleepy during the daytime against the background of general overwork;
• Decreased short-term memory;
• Changes in character traits, the appearance of tearfulness, an increase in the level of anxiety, excessive suspicion and emotional lability;
• Gait and speech disorders and other neurological disorders.

When atherosclerosis affects the main arteries of the upper and lower extremities, it will manifest itself as follows:

• With damage to the arteries of the lower extremities, a person most often suffers from intermittent claudication;
• The feeling of fatigue from walking occurs much earlier, the passage of a long section of the path becomes a laborious activity;
• Dystrophy of the nail plates, hair loss on the legs, and a decrease in calf muscles in size are observed.
• Gangrene of the extremities is the apogee of the development of the disease;
• Reduced pulsation in the arteries;
• If the arteries of the upper extremities are primarily affected, then the person experiences cold in the hands, ulcers may form, and small wounds will bleed for a long time.

Causes of the disease

The reasons leading to the formation of lipid deposits in any major arteries are the same.

Regardless of where the atherosclerotic plaque was localized, the following factors provoked its growth:

• High blood pressure that is not controlled or treated for a long time period;

• Adherence to bad habits, in particular smoking;
• The content of cholesterol in the blood exceeding the norm;
• Overweight;
• Endocrine system diseases;
• Impaired absorption of glucose;
• Sedentary lifestyle;
• Power supply errors;
• Age-related changes, which are an unavoidable provoking factor;
• Frequent stress.

Diagnostics

In order to begin the treatment of atherosclerosis, it is necessary to determine the site of arterial lesion, the severity of the lipid plaque, its nature, the degree of calcification and proliferation of connective tissue. To do this, you need to come to an appointment with a therapist, who, after a standard examination and anamnesis, will send the patient to undergo ultrasound angioscanning of the arteries of the head, neck or lower extremities.

If it is not possible to recreate the integrity of the picture, then additional studies are required, such as MRI or X-ray angiography.

To obtain the most complete information about the patient's condition, he will need to pass a general and biochemical blood test.

Treatment of atherosclerosis of the great arteries

Treatment of atherosclerosis of the great arteries is impossible without an integrated approach. You will not be able to improve your health by just adhering to a proper diet, or, conversely, only by taking the pills prescribed by your doctor.

Medication is reduced to taking the following funds:

• Antiplatelet agents, including cardiomagnyl, plavix, thrombosis and others;
• Means aimed at reducing blood viscosity. These include phlogenzyme, sulodexide and others;
• Drugs to improve peripheral circulation - nicotinic acid, alprostan;
• Medicines that enhance collateral circulation. These are Actovegin and Solcoseryl;
• Drugs that can lower blood cholesterol levels: statins and fibrates;

Read more: Drugs for the treatment of atherosclerosis

In addition, patients are encouraged to take anticoagulants for life to reduce the risk of blood clots. It can be either cardiomagnum or thrombosis. The course intake of vitamins is aimed at maintaining the normal state of tissues and organs experiencing a lack of blood circulation.

It is also recommended to include in the complex treatment herbal preparations for atherosclerosis, which have proven their effectiveness. These include: Inflaminate, Nattokinase, Revight Garlic Pearls, Ravisol - more about them is described here

Patients diagnosed with atherosclerosis of the great arteries will need to reconsider their lifestyle. This includes giving up bad habits: alcohol and tobacco smoking. If you have excess weight, it is necessary to reduce it. Revision of the diet is another condition in order to avoid the consequences of atherosclerotic lesions. Also, medication for high blood pressure and regular exercise are equally important.

If the atherosclerotic plaque has narrowed the lumen of the artery by more than 50%, then the patient must be referred for consultation to a vascular surgeon, who decides on the need for surgery.

The author of the article: Volkov Dmitry Sergeevich | c. m. n. surgeon, phlebologist

Education: Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (1996). In 2003 he received a diploma from the Educational and Scientific Medical Center of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.