Atherosclerosis is the thickening or hardening of the arteries that that carry blood from the heart to the various parts of the body.
Causes
An unhealthy lifestyle that includes a diet high in fats and sugars and lack of any physical activity is the main cause of atherosclerosis. Factors that precipitate the onset of arthrosclerosis include high blood cholesterol levels, high levels of the amino acid homocystein and low density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood serum combined with low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL), high blood pressure and diabetes. Smoking and advancing age are also major contributory factors. Studies show that men are more prone to suffering from this condition than women.
What Happens
Damage to the inner wall of the artery, also called the endothelium, causes fat and cholesterol to penetrate into the walls and get deposited there. This induces a certain degree of cell proliferation and subsequent deposits of calcium salts and fibrin. These deposits, called atheroma or atherosclerotic plaque, cause the arteries walls to thicken, narrowing the passage way for the blood to flow through. Atherosclerosis is just one type of artery thickening and is different from arteriosclerosis, which encompasses all types of hardening and thickening of arteries.
Prevention
To a major extent, atherosclerosis can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This includes increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and decreasing your intake of fats, refined carbohydrates and salts. However, some fats are good for the heart. Fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower blood cholesterol levels and also reduce blood clotting as well as the risk of developing heart problems. A daily exercise regimen that includes moderate physical activity helps keep your weight down and is also known to lower stress levels, which are also factors that can cause atherosclerosis. Smokers are at a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis because the nicotine in cigarettes causes the thickening of the artery walls.
by Mitchell Adams
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