Getting Rid of Plaque (and it's not the teeth variety) - Exactly What is Arteriosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis, which is often mispronounced and confused by ordinary people, is the formation of cholesterol-consisting plaques, platelets, fibrin and other substances in your arterial walls which will eventually, if neglected, lead to the hardening of the arteries.

Arterio-what? Arteriosclerosis Obliterans, often mispronounced and confused by ordinary people, is the formation of cholesterol-consisting plaques, platelets, fibrin and all substances in your arterial walls that eventually, if neglected, lead to the hardening of the arteries and therefore block arterial (blood) circulation.

The following are the factors which can cause or influence a build up of plaque in the arteries:

• Hereditary factors. If your family has a history of heart attacks, you may be prone to have one.
• The male population. Females are less likely to have it because their hormones offer a certain degree of protection.
• Smoking and High Blood Pressure.
• High blood cholesterol levels. You should always have your cholesterol levels checked as a preventive measure not just for arteriosclerosis but also for other diseases caused by having high cholesterol levels in your blood.

These factors cause the deposition of cholesterol-consisting plaques and platelets within the arterial wall. Build up may be gradual at times, but there is still a chance that the build up may increase and block or affect the narrowed opening.

Knowing such, it is very important and strictly recommended that a person who has arteriosclerosis follow a strict low cholesterol diet. Cigarette smoking is also prohibited and should be stopped right away once a person is diagnosed with the disease.

Always have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked, especially if there have been a series of heart attacks in your family. Monitoring your blood pressure helps you more easily detect if you are prone to it and therefore take preventive measures earlier so as to avoid possible complications.

If you already have it, make sure to follow the doctor’s instructions and medications in order to avoid the condition getting worse. Special attention and extra caution should be given if the person with arteriosclerosis also suffers from diabetes, because it tends progress more quickly than the usual in diabetic patients.

Blockage in the arteries, if a person has arteriosclerosis, can occur in almost any part of the body although it is most common in the legs. Once the hardening becomes severe, it causes extreme pain due to insufficient blood supply.

It can be relieved by rest and be worsened by continuous activity. If pain is still excruciatingly present even when the person is resting, it means that the problem may be serious and if left untreated, can cause amputation of the limbs to be the only treatment left available.

Advanced stages make the limbs cold, discolored, pale and have sores all over. Once infection sets it, the only way to help save the life of the patient is by cutting off or amputating the leg. It is a little uncommon for the other parts of the body to be affected without the legs involved, and those whose legs are affected have a much higher chance of suffering from heart disease, kidney and artery blockage, and stroke.

Loving yourself means taking care of you. You have a responsibility to do what is best for your body and not abuse it, so as not to suffer excruciatingly painful consequences in the end.

Article Tags: Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Levels

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