Symptoms of atherosclerosis, complications, treatment, and Prevention
In the preclinical period, it is rarely manifested by any symptoms of atherosclerosis. But if there are symptoms of atherosclerosis at the preclinical stage, they are nonspecific. These include periodic autonomic disorders: blanching or redness of the skin on the face, a feeling of heat, and increased sweating at night. Short-term painful contractions of the heart, abdomen, neck, or temples. To discover more, read the paragraph after.
Symptoms of a progressive disease depend primarily on the localization of the pathological process. But there are also,
common symptoms of atherosclerosis, which include:
- Dryness and thinning of the skin, decreased elasticity, sharp appearance of folds, and wrinkles.
- The presence of spider veins under the skin.
- Bulging arteries on the temple, forehead, inner surface of the shoulders, and elbows.
Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the aorta through:
- Palpitations (especially when lying down)
- Headache and dizziness.
- Pressing or squeezing pain in the heart area (with the development of a pathological process in the chest area).
- Abdominal pain, indigestion, weight loss, constipation, flatulence. (with the development of aortic atherosclerosis in the abdominal region).
- general ill health (fatigue, weakness).
- Fainting,
- Increased sweating,
- Shortness of breath,
- Pulsation in the neck and head.
Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the heart arteries (coronary vessels):
- Chest pain. It can be compressive, painful, dull, or burning. The pain is given to the shoulder and left arm (forearm, hand).
- Disorders of the respiratory system
- Feeling of pressure on the chest (as if something heavy was placed on it) ؛
- Pain in the back
- Pain in the ear, jaw, or neck (left side)
- Heart rhythm failure.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Painful breathing (when inhaling and exhaling)
- Weakness in the legs or arms.
- Chills, increased sensitivity to cold, increased sweating.
- Loss or confusion of consciousness.
Symptoms of cerebral atherosclerosis (cerebral arteries) such as:
- Rapid fatigue and lethargy.
- Dizziness؛Sleep disorders (insomnia or, conversely, constant drowsiness)
- Distraction
- Pressure or explosive headache without clear localization (it seems that the whole head hurts at once).
- A ringing noise in the ears.
- Decreased concentration,
- Memory impairment,
- Irritability increased excitability.
- Violations of the eating process (for example, the patient often chokes).
- Anxiety,
- Disorders of coordination of movements and spatial orientation.
- Short-term disorders of speech, vision, hearing, and breathing.
- Change in gait (a person moves in small steps).
- Decrease or loss of sensation (usually one-sided, that is, in one half of the body).
Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the arteries of the upper or lower extremities there are:
- Feeling of chills in the arms or legs (as if the patient had been in an uncomfortable position for a long time. and his limbs were numb)
- Increased sensitivity of the extremities to cold (freezing of hands. or feet for no reason).
- The pallor of the skin on the arms or legs, and protruding veins appear
- In the late stages - thinning of the skin. hair loss on the arms or legs without regrowth.
- Paroxysmal pain in the limbs. If atherosclerosis of the arteries of the legs develops, the patient may experience intermittent claudication (when overcoming short distances,. the patient cannot go further due to severe pain in the legs, and he is forced to stop).
- The occurrence of edema that does not subside for a long time.
- Redness of the fingers or toes.
- the development of leg trophic ulcers
- Gangrene.
Renal atherosclerosis
is manifested by high blood pressure, lower back or abdominal pain, hypothermia, and the presence of blood in the urine. Nausea and vomiting may also occur.
Symptoms of penile arteriosclerosis include erectile dysfunction, impotence, and the formation of prostate adenoma (benign tumor).
Complications of atherosclerosis
Symptoms of atherosclerosis, cause the following:
- Ischemic heart disease
- Myocardial infarction
- Cerebral ischemia
- Stroke of the brain
- Inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Necrosis of the intestine.
- An aortic aneurysm develops.
- Senile dementia (dementia)
- Kidney failure.
The elimination of atherosclerosis of the arteries of the lower extremities may lead to the need for amputation of the leg (if gangrene occurs).
Diagnosis
The cardiologist diagnoses atherosclerosis. The doctor collects an Anamnesis, then a general examination is carried out, during which the doctor palpates (feels) large arteries, measures the height and weight of the patient, listens to the heart and aorta, and measures pressure. According to the results of the examination, the following signs of atherosclerosis can be detected: edema, trophic disorders (local disorders of blood and lymphatic circulation), deformation of the nails, the increased function of the sebaceous and sweat glands, and lack of hair on the limbs. Also, an alarming symptom is sharp weight loss.
If atherosclerosis is suspected, functional tests are performed. These are tests using irritating procedures (small physical exertion, changes in body position, pressure on parts of the body, etc.).
The following research methods are used:
- cholesterol and sugar levels are checked in the blood.
- X-ray examination (to study the condition of the aorta).
- Angiography (radiography using a contrast agent, allows you to determine erasure - narrowing or closure of the lumen of the artery).
- Magnetic resonance imaging (to study the walls of arteries and plaques formed on them).
- Doppler ultrasound (to assess blood flow)
- Ultrasound of the aorta.
- Echocardiography (ultrasound examination of the heart and valvular apparatus).
In addition, the following can be done:
- Cardiac stress tests (a study conducted to determine the critical load on the heart).
- Coronary angiography (X-ray method for detecting coronary heart disease).
- abdomen-related organs through ultrasound.
- Lipogram (a comprehensive blood test that makes it possible to assess the lipid balance of the body).
In the presence of concomitant diseases, treatment and diagnosis may require the help of an endocrinologist, nephrologist, urologist, phlebologist, neurologist, or therapist.
Getting atherosclerosis treated
Atherosclerosis is treated in a complex way. The patient has been prescribed a diet aimed at lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood and normalizing the lipid balance: animal fats, simple carbohydrates, and salt are limited. The doctor is engaged in the development of a diet; it is not recommended to follow a diet on your own. The patient also needs to quit bad habits, especially smoking. Gentle Gymnastics will also help normalize lipid levels. Regarding the exercises, their duration, and frequency, you should consult with your doctor.
The following objectives are the focus of drug treatment:
- Remove excess cholesterol from the body.
- a reduction in the amount of cholesterol the body produces.
- Fight infections.
Patients can be given:
- Drugs called statins lower the body's synthesis of cholesterol,
- Drugs containing nicotinic acid (normalize lipid levels),
- Fibrates (reduce body fat production),
- Barrier (removal of bile acids from the intestine, which is formed when lowering cholesterol levels),
- Estrogen (hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women).
If conservative treatment does not bring the desired result or an artery blockage occurs (or there is a high risk of such an outcome), an operation is performed.
To date, the following surgical methods are used:
Endarterectomy.
In the problem area, the artery is cut and the hardened plaque is removed from its wall. As a result of the operation, the lumen of the artery expands, and blood flow returns to normal. This method is not used if the patient has diabetes mellitus, malignant tumors, congestive heart failure, hypertension, angina pectoris, and also within six months after a heart attack.
The catheter.
This is a minimally invasive operation (low-traumatic operation), during which a special device with a catheter on one side and a small balloon on the other is used. The balloon is inserted through a small hole in the skin into the lumen of the vessel and inflated with compressed air. Under this influence, the artery expands, and the plaques are evenly distributed along its wall. After that, the balloon is "inflated" and removed from the vessel.
Supports.
The operation is performed using support - a metal frame. First, the artery is dilated (usually angioplasty is used for this purpose), then a stent is placed in it. The tire expands the lumen of the vessel, which leads to the restoration of blood flow.
Conversion.
During the operation, an artificial connection (shunt) is created between two points, bypassing the severely narrowed section of the artery. As a result of surgical intervention, normal blood flow to the tissues is restored. This method is most often used for atherosclerosis of the lower extremities.
Vascular prosthetics. The affected artery is completely replaced with an artificial one.
In some cases, several surgical methods can be combined.
Prevention of atherosclerosis
The main preventive measure is a healthy lifestyle. It is recommended to follow a varied diet that can satisfy all the needs of the body for vitamins, minerals, and other important substances. It is best to consult a doctor to prepare a diet. Quitting bad habits (smoking, and drinking alcohol) will positively affect the condition of blood vessels. It is also necessary to allocate time for daily physical activity: moderate exercise helps to normalize the fat balance in the body.
Since infectious diseases and endocrine diseases increase the risk of atherosclerosis, it is important to undergo a general medical examination annually for timely diagnosis and treatment. People over 40 years old are also recommended to take a blood test for cholesterol once a year: this will allow them to identify violations in the early stages.