Atherosclerosis was first discussed in 1825. But still atherosclerosis as a disease does not lose its relevance.. This is the main cause of catastrophes of the heart and blood vessels, and primarily stroke and heart attack.. However, these adverse effects do not develop overnight.. There is a fairly long period of therapeutic possibilities, when the changes in the vessels have not yet gone too far, while the clinical symptoms are slightly expressed, as the Internet publication for girls and women from 14 to 35 years old Pannochka reports.. net Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammation of blood vessels, in which fat deposits form on their wall, followed by proliferation of connective tissue, which leads to a narrowing of the lumen of the arteries and disruption of the blood supply to the nourished organ with the appearance of clinical symptoms.

Causes of atherosclerosisThe causes of atherosclerosis are divided into 2 categories depending on whether or not it is possible to prevent their negative effects on the body..

The immutable category includes 3 factors:.

aggravated heredity (the closest relatives suffered from atherosclerosis or there were hereditary dyslipidemias in the family);

person age 50+;

male (before menopause, the female body is protected by estrogens, which, among other things, have a beneficial effect on the state of the vascular wall).

The category of changeable causes is quite diverse. These are factors that can be addressed through lifestyle modification (targeted prevention) and thereby reduce the likelihood of stroke and heart attack.. The following reasons are included in this category:.

lipid profile disorders;

arterial hypertension;

smoking;

a large amount of adipose tissue in the body;

elevated blood sugar and tissue insensitivity to insulin;

chronic increase in cardiac activity;

sedentary lifestyle;

malnutrition with a predominance of trans fats, animal fats and fiber deficiency;

stressful situations.

Particularly terrible are the consequences of the metabolic syndrome, which at times increases the likelihood of developing a stroke and heart attack.. This condition is characterized by 4 signs:.

obesity;

insulin resistance - poor susceptibility of cellular receptors to insulin, as a result of which glucose cannot freely enter the cell;

elevated triglyceride levels in the blood;

chronic high blood pressure.

However, a reasonable question arises. After all, there are people who have more than one risk factor - and atherosclerosis never develops.. Why and how to recognize something is wrong? Turns out it's inflammation.. It is from the standpoint of the inflammatory theory that the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque is perceived today.. Inflammation of the arterial wall leads to microdamages of the inner vascular wall, into which foam cells penetrate.. This is accompanied by the formation of fatty deposits, which at the beginning have the form of stripes, and then nuclei.. Over time, atherosclerotic plaque is covered with fibrous tissue.. At a certain stage, it may crack with the formation of a thrombosis site.. This is the stage of adverse effects that need immediate treatment..

And what can provoke the development of inflammation in the vascular wall? The reasons may be:.

viral infections - herpes, influenza, adenovirus, enterovirus, cytomegalovirus;

bacterial infections associated with streptococcus, staphylococcus, pneumophilic chlamydia, helicobacter, etc..

various types of intoxication, including. against the backdrop of smoking;

endocrine imbalance - hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus;

stressful situations.

Any of these factors can disrupt the protective functions of the cell and damage the mechanisms of intercellular interaction, as a result of which the vessels become practically defenseless against the damage that awaits them..

Symptoms of atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis proceeds for a long time without obvious symptoms. The first signs appear when the plaque begins to bulge into the lumen of the vessel. Acute catastrophes are associated with plaque rupture and the formation of a thrombus that can completely block the arterial lumen, and the patient needs emergency treatment to save his life..

However, even before the development of adverse effects, there is a period when a number of external signs can be recognized that indicate that the body is “signaling” for help.. These symptoms include:.

signs of premature aging (earlier appearance of a large amount of gray hair and reduced skin turgor);

xanthomas and xanthelasmas - fatty deposits around the eyes of a linear or dotted shape;

a symptom of the senile corneal arch - the appearance of a lighter rim along the outer edge of the iris;

profuse hair growth on the ears;

vertical or diagonal crease in the earlobe;

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These symptoms indicate an increase in the level of cholesterol in the blood, which predisposes to its deposition on the vascular wall at the slightest disruption of endotheliocyte self-regulation..

In addition to general symptoms, there are specific ones that depend on the localization of the atherosclerotic process.. More on this below..

Atherosclerosis of the extremities When the vessels of the hands are affected, muscle weakness appears, a feeling of crawling on the skin, numbness of the fingers, loss of dexterity, chilliness, even in relatively warm weather. Involvement in the pathological process of the arteries of the lower extremities often leads to symptoms such as pain when walking, muscle wasting, the formation of trophic ulcers, necrosis zones on the feet and fingers.

When feeling the affected vessels, the pulsation is reduced or not detected. Objective dopplerographic symptoms help confirm the diagnosis..

Atherosclerosis of the brain Atherosclerosis of the brain leads to disruption of the arterial blood supply to the cerebral tissue. Most of these disorders are chronic.. The main manifestations of ischemic brain damage are:.

transient weakness;

numbness of the upper or lower limbs;

short-term disturbances in vision or speech, hallucinations may occasionally occur;

muscle twitches;

prolonged feeling of \;

dizziness combined with hearing loss or tinnitus;

double vision;

reeling;

blurred speech;

flashing \;

sudden loss of consciousness.

Acute vascular catastrophe of the brain - there is nothing more than a stroke. It is associated either with an acute cessation of blood supply or with a focus of hemorrhage.. To save brain tissue, it is necessary to start treatment as early as possible - until the ischemic zone transforms into a necrosis zone and persistent symptoms appear.

Arteriosclerosis. The main symptom of chronic atherosclerotic problems is chest pain, which may radiate to the left upper limb.. With angina pectoris, such pain is stopped by taking nitroglycerin, and with an already developed myocardial infarction, nitroglycerin is powerless, a completely different approach to treatment is required..

Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is a rather dangerous condition that can lead to both myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death, the predictors of which cannot be recognized and prevented in advance..

Diagnosis of atherosclerosis Detection of atherosclerosis is a clinical assessment of the present symptoms in combination with laboratory data. The patient is advised to take the following tests:.

C-reactive protein;

total cholesterol;

low density lipoproteins, which are atherogenic;

high-density lipoproteins (on the contrary, they protect blood vessels from cholesterol deposits);

triglycerides;

glucose.

The instrumental examination program includes electrocardiography at rest and during exercise, daily monitoring of blood pressure.

Imaging methods are used to diagnose the places of a “vascular” catastrophe caused by atherosclerosis:.

angiography (X-ray contrast of the vessel) - reveals the place of impaired blood flow;

positron emission tomography - allows you to assess the stability of the plaque and the severity of vascular inflammation;

nuclear magnetic resonance;

chest x-ray to detect aortic aneurysm;

ultrasound dopplerography.

Treatment of atherosclerosisToday, the first line of treatment for atherosclerosis is not cholesterol-lowering drug therapy, but the normalization of living standards and additional (nutraceutical) care for the condition of blood vessels. Specific hypocholesterolemic agents are statins, fibrates, nicotinic acid. However, they should be taken only when general measures are not effective enough.. On the one hand, this is due to the presence of side effects of these drugs, and on the other hand, low effectiveness while maintaining the existing risk factors for atherosclerosis..

Prevention of atherosclerosis: how to prevent stroke and heart attack? Proper nutrition is the basis of prevention, which prevents the development of complications of atherosclerosis.. The main principles of the hypocholesterol diet are:.

reduction in the consumption of foods rich in cholesterol (no more than 300 mg of this substance should enter the body per day);

reduction of caloric content of food consumed (per day no more than 2000 kcal);

reduction of fat content in the daily diet (fat should account for no more than 20-30%);

reducing the consumption of saturated (animal) fats to 7-10% - limiting the consumption of pork, lamb and beef meat, butter and cream, avoiding margarine;

an increase in the diet of foods rich in useful polyunsaturated fatty acids (vegetable oils, fatty sea fish), which reduce the plasma atherogenic index;

an increase in the proportion of complex carbohydrates in the diet (cereals, durum pasta, bran bread) and a decrease in the proportion of simple carbohydrates (sweets);

increasing portions of vegetables, herbs and bran, which provides a feeling of satiety and eliminates overeating.

Prevention of atherosclerosis also involves:.

weight loss to normal levels;

refusal to drink excessive alcohol - however, drinking beer and wine in moderation is even good for blood vessels, t. increases the concentration of high density lipoproteins and reduces the level of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor;

elimination of stress, resolution of family and professional conflicts;

sufficient physical activity - at the beginning walking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week, and then for 45 minutes or more at least 5 days a week;

complete cessation of smoking;

blood pressure control;

glucose correction.

Care for blood vessels occupies a special place in the chain of preventive measures.. Arteries function normally when the correct biochemical reactions take place in them, and cells are able to repair themselves after damage.. However, in the conditions of modern reality, the natural mechanisms of vascular protection turn out to be inferior due to the rapid depletion. In other words, stress, poor ecology, unbalanced nutrition undermine the natural mechanisms of self-regulation of the human body..

To eliminate these problems, Russian scientists have created cytamines - peptide bioregulators that help restore cellular structures and normalize the functioning of organs and systems.. These are natural substances that are “their own” for cells, therefore they are well tolerated and do not cause side effects, unlike allopreparations..

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