A doctor will confirm
the presence of arteriosclerosis by taking a thorough medical history,
performing a complete physical check-up and arranging for various medical
tests to be carried out. These usually involve injecting dye into the
circulation and taking X-rays as the dye moves along the complex network
of arteries and veins.
The treatment recommended by the doctor will depend
on the areas of the body, which are affected, and the degree to which
the hardening and narrowing process has progressed. Changes to lifestyle
such as quitting smoking, embarking on a regular exercise program and
reducing dietary intake of fat, salt, sugars, caffeine and alcohol,
are always part of any treatment regimen. These measures will assist in
halting or slowing the progression of the condition.
Medications that help to reduce blood cholesterol
levels may be prescribed to support these lifestyle changes. In severe
cases, surgery may be required. This may be a relatively simple procedure,
known as angioplasty. This involves inserting a thin, flexible tube
into the artery and inflating a little balloon at its tip when it reached
the narrowed area. The pressure of the balloon widens the artery allowing
blood to once again, flow freely through that area. See the animation
sequence below for more information on this procedure.
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Coronary artery bypass surgery is a more serious
operation involving the grafting of a vein (usually taken from the patient’s
leg) above and below the blockage to bypass that damaged area of the
artery. This is often called “open heart surgery”. Yet another
treatment involves the insertion of a mechanical tubular bracing (a
stent) to force the artery open.
Prevention is always better than cure and there
are healthy behaviours people can adopt to avoid arteriosclerosis. These
include:
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- Don’t smoke –
or – quit smoking completely
- Commence an appropriate,
regular, sustainable exercise program. Professional
guidance is advisable here as individual, pre-existing
health conditions will determine what program is most
appropriate. A program that gradually builds up as
fitness increases and is fun to do is most likely
to be sustainable in the long term
- Consult a dietary health
professional to get advice about food choices that
will help to achieve a healthy balanced diet.
- Reduce alcohol and caffeine
intake to levels as advised by a dietary health professional.
- Consult a medical professional
for an annual checkup which includes review of the
listed healthy lifestyle behaviours, recording weight,
blood pressure measurement and possibly some blood
tests such as a cholesterol check
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It is very important that a doctor is consulted
as a matter of priority if any of the symptoms of arteriosclerosis are
experienced. Early diagnosis and treatment of the effects of arteriosclerosis
can limit the extent of any damage that may result thus reducing any
possible long term consequences. It also enables health lifestyle behaviours
to be adopted that may stop or slow the progress of this condition.
| Possible
Causes Of Arterosclerosis |
Possible
Symptoms Of Arterosclerosis |
- natural aging process
- lifestyle factors
- excessive alcohol/caffeine intake
- high dietary intake of fat/salt/sugar
- smoking
- lack of regular exercise
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- breathlessness and chest pain
- pain in the legs when walking
- leg sores/ulcers that won’t
heal
- memory loss/confusion
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This is the last content
e-bite in the arteriosclerosis series. The next e-bite contains the
final quiz.
