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What Is Atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
It is caused by the slow buildup of plaque on the inside
of walls of the arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that
carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to other parts of
the body.
Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other
substances found in the blood. As it grows, the buildup of
plaque narrows the inside of the artery and, in time, may
restrict blood flow. There are two types of plaque:
- Hard and stable
- Soft and unstable
Hard plaque causes artery walls to thicken and harden. Soft
plaque is more likely to break apart from the walls and enter
the bloodstream. This can cause a blood clot that can partially
or totally block the flow of blood in the artery. When this
happens, the organ supplied by the blocked artery starves
for blood and oxygen. The organ's cells may either die or
suffer severe damage.
The illustration shows a normal artery with normal blood
flow and an artery containing plaque buildup.
Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive disease that may
start in childhood. It can affect the arteries of the brain,
heart, kidneys, and the arms and legs. As plaque builds up,
it can cause serious diseases and complications. These include:
- Coronary artery
disease
- Angina
- Heart
attack
- Sudden death
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Stroke
- Transient
ischemic attack (TIA) or "mini strokes"
- Peripheral arterial disease
Diseases caused by atherosclerosis are the leading cause
of illness and death in the United States.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has prepared
this information, to read more of this article, and related
articles, please click here: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Atherosclerosis/Atherosclerosis_WhatIs.html
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