How to Know if You Have Blocked Arteries

All about blocked arteries

The build-upwardly of fatty deposits in the arteries is a potential silent killer. In this exclusive interview, June Davison talks to BHF Professor Martin Bennett virtually the condition.

BHF Professor Martin Bennett works at the University of Cambridge, researching why people develop atherosclerosis. His team is also developing new imaging techniques to improve predict who might have a related effect. He is also a consultant cardiologist and works at Addenbrookes and Papworth Hospitals.

Why do arteries become narrow?

Blocked arteries, also known every bit Atherosclerosis, is the build-up of fibrous and fat fabric within the arteries and is the underlying condition that causes coronary heart disease and other circulatory diseases. Atherosclerosis can bear on all of the arteries, but particularly those that supply blood to the heart (coronaries), the cervix arteries that supply blood to the brain (carotids), and the arteries that supply the legs (peripheral). This tin ultimately bring on symptoms such as chest pain (angina) or lead to life-threatening weather condition such every bit a heart attack or stroke.

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What causes atherosclerosis?

The most dangerous effect of atherosclerosis occurs if the plaque ruptures

Fatty material (or atheroma) starts accumulating in the lining of the artery wall from when we are quite young. The material is 'foreign' to our bodies, so causes inflammation. The artery tries to clear up the inflammation by repairing the tissue, creating a seal of fibrous material over the fatty core.

Over time, this forms a plaque, which consists of the fat cloth, the inflammation and the fibrous tissue around it. This procedure gradually continues so more than atheroma accumulates, causing more inflammation, which results in a bigger plaque. It can accept many years before plaque growth has a pregnant effect.

What are the potential consequences of atherosclerosis?

The disease can exist silent for many decades. Merely once the plaque gets to a certain size, the avenue can become and then narrowed that insufficient claret gets through, which tin can cause pain or discomfort, usually during practice.

This tin can happen either in the breast (angina) due to lack of blood getting to the heart, or in the calves (claudication) due to lack of blood to the legs.

The nearly dangerous outcome of atherosclerosis occurs if the plaque ruptures (breaks down). The blood flowing over the acme of the plaque can jell, causing a blockage in the artery that can result in a heart attack, or it tin be carried downstream causing a stroke.

Isn't atherosclerosis a natural part of the ageing process?

Atherosclerosis, which causes diseases of the arteries, is a very common process. One of the biggest take chances factors for atherosclerosis is age, and then it is more common among people in their 60s and 70s, although there are many elderly people who don't have significant atherosclerosis.

The first evidence of atherosclerosis can appear quite early in life in people in their 20s and 30s, but it often doesn't cause any issues at this stage and at that place may exist a very long period where the disease is silent. Having take chances factors for atherosclerosis and an unhealthy lifestyle mean you're more likely to develop the disease at a younger age. The major message is expect at your lifestyle and meet if there are any changes you lot tin make to reduce your adventure.

How would I know if my arteries are blocked?

Many people with blocked arteries or atherosclerosis are unaware that they accept it until they develop symptoms, such as angina or claudication. Unfortunately, sometimes the first fourth dimension that someone realises that they have atherosclerosis is when they accept an outcome such equally a stroke or a heart assail.

Can I have a test for information technology?

We recommend that people over xl go for a cardiovascular risk assessment or health bank check at their GP surgery. Your blood pressure, cholesterol and a medical history are all taken to calculate your risk of having an outcome such as a middle assail or stroke. Your GP or nurse can tell if you lot would do good from lifestyle changes or handling.

If yous're found to exist at high risk of having an event, you lot'll be advised to brand changes to your lifestyle and be monitored. It's also likely that you'll exist recommended to accept drugs, such as a statin, to reduce your risk.

Can atherosclerosis exist reversed or slowed downward?

Leading a salubrious lifestyle and managing your risk factors is vital to tiresome the affliction's progression

The illness is progressive, and, unfortunately, electric current treatments can't melt it away. However, at that place are things that can be done to slow its development and dramatically reduce the chances of a heart assault or stroke.

For example, medication tin slow downward how speedily the fatty material accumulates. Drugs can also stabilise the plaque and reduce the gamble of it rupturing, so you're much less likely to take a stroke or center attack.

Leading a healthy lifestyle and managing your risk factors is vital to slow the disease'south progression. This will help to prevent the onset of symptoms such as angina and as well reduce the take chances of having an event.

How are blocked arteries treated?

Almost everyone who has had a heart attack or has been diagnosed with angina will be prescribed medication to help protect their center. These drugs include aspirin, which reduces the stickiness of platelets to forbid blood clots from developing, and drugs to reduce cholesterol, unremarkably statins.

Depending on their specific condition, some people may exist prescribed additional treatment. For instance, if someone has a centre attack, they're likely to be prescribed beta blockers and an ACE inhibitor, every bit evidence shows these medicines tin reduce the risk of a farther center attack.

Once someone has had an event or if they develop symptoms, they will be investigated to run into if they need further treatment. They might have their neck scanned to run into if they have carotid disease, a coronary angiogram to look at their coronary arteries, or they may have a scan or an angiogram of their legs to look at the extent of their leg illness.

Is at that place any other treatment that I can or should have?

Further treatment depends on how severe the disease is in the artery, how many arteries are involved, and how bad someone'southward symptoms are.

For instance, if you have disease in the heart arteries, peculiarly if y'all are experiencing symptoms such equally chest pains or shortness of jiff, then it might be treated with an angioplasty and stent.

Or if you have narrowings in multiple coronary arteries, you may exist recommended to accept coronary bypass graft surgery. Similarly, significant narrowings in the legs or pelvis arteries can exist treated with angioplasty and stenting or occasionally bypass surgery.

If you accept significant disease in one or both of the carotid arteries in the neck, these are sometimes treated by surgery.

• Read about 5 hazard factors for heart disease and how yous can control them.

• See 10 weird things that could cause heart illness.

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Source: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/blocked-arteries

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