Vascular stenosis of the brain, neck and heart
Definition of stenosis
Stenosis is a pathological condition that leads to narrowing of the arteries (vessels) or their complete closure. The most common cause of the disease is the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques in the vessels. As the plaque grows, the lumen of the vessel gradually decreases, which over time can lead to its complete blockage. The increase in plaque is dangerous because part of it can break off and travel through the bloodstream, falling into a smaller vessel and blocking it.
The insidiousness of vascular stenosis is that the patient does not have any symptoms in the initial stages. With the appearance of clinical signs, it is often too late, a stroke, acute myocardial infarction and other diseases develop, since the narrowing of the vessel lumen has already occurred by 74% or more. The degree of circulatory disorders also depends on the presence of collaterals.
Diseases that cause vascular stenosis include: atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, obesity, hereditary angiopathies and vasculitis, as well as smoking and fatty foods.
Cerebrovascular stenosis
With this type of stenosis, there is a violation of the blood supply to a certain part of the brain, on which the symptoms of the disease will depend. With the slow development of arterial stenosis, cerebral circulation failure develops. The main manifestations are memory impairment, changes in the emotional sphere, various movement disorders.
But there may be another form of manifestation of cerebral vasoconstriction - a cerebral infarction. Symptoms are very diverse - from general cerebral symptoms (dizziness, vomiting, headache) to focal (paresis and paralysis).
Neck vascular stenosis
Diseases accompanied by narrowing of the lumen of the arteries and veins, which provide blood supply to the brain, can be attributed to stenosis of the vessels of the neck. The veins of the neck are usually very rarely affected, but the carotid arteries are affected along with the cerebral vessels. Symptoms of occlusion are the same as with cerebral artery stenosis, since in this case the blood supply to the brain is also disrupted.
Often a person does not even know that he has stenosis of the carotid arteries until he suffers a stroke. The first signs of the disease may be: flashing flies before the eyes, dizziness, tinnitus, darkening of the eyes, weakness in the limbs. These will not necessarily be the symptoms of a stroke, but it is imperative to be examined at the first such manifestations, the disease itself will not pass.
Cardiac stenosis
The arteries that supply the heart with blood are called coronary or coronary arteries. They are also affected by atherosclerosis. The narrowing of the blood vessels of the heart causes a disease such as coronary artery disease. With a gradual narrowing of the vessel, chronic heart failure develops. Symptoms will be recurrent shortness of breath at the slightest physical exertion, pain in the heart, swelling of the legs, irregular heartbeat.
With the rapid development of stenosis of the coronary artery, for example, blockage by a detached atherosclerotic plaque, we have an acute myocardial infarction. There will already be complaints of a sharp pain in the region of the heart, pain radiates to the left shoulder blade, arm, lower jaw, shortness of breath appears, severe weakness, a feeling of fear of death. There may be other symptoms, differential diagnosis can only be carried out by a doctor.
Diagnosis of the disease
Most often, vascular stenosis is detected by a doctor when a patient is admitted. This also requires the following diagnostic tests:
1. Examination of the patient to check the state of the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous systems. The doctor will examine the patient, palpate, listen to the lungs and heart to identify pathologies.
2. Electrocardiography is performed to diagnose heart rhythm disturbances, to detect ischemia.
3. Ultrasound of the heart.
4. Doppler ultrasonography of the vessels of the head and neck.
5. Angiography of blood vessels.
6. Computed tomography.
7. Mangnitic resonance angiography.
Not all of these studies will necessarily be assigned, two or three may be enough. But they are assigned only to you and will help to accurately establish the diagnosis. With the correct diagnosis, treatment will be more effective.
Treatment of vascular stenosis
Treatment of vascular stenosis should be prescribed only by a specialist - it can be a neurologist, cardiologist or surgeon. It all depends on the location, severity and degree of stenosis.
Therapy of stenosis includes surgical treatment, namely: endarterectomy - removal of a thrombus that causes a narrowing of the vessel, stenting of vessels - placement of a special stent inside the vessel, after which the walls of the arteries move apart and blood supply improves, bypass surgery - the creation of a new channel bypassing the damaged areas.
In addition, medications can be prescribed to treat the underlying disease that led to vascular stenosis. A change in lifestyle is recommended: physical activity according to age, proper nutrition, rejection of bad habits.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
