{"id":16272,"date":"2023-08-10T19:43:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-10T19:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/atherosclerosis-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/"},"modified":"2026-02-05T07:08:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T07:08:16","slug":"atherosclerosis-symptoms-causes-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/atherosclerosis-symptoms-causes-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Atherosclerosis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>WHAT IS ATHEROSCLEROSIS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Atherosclerosis is a condition of blood vessels that thickens or hardens the arteries in the body. It is a slow, progressive disorder that may start at any stage of life. The thickening of the arteries can be due to inflammation and plaque formation that restrict the blood flow and oxygen supply to the body organs and tissues. The plaques can be either hard or soft. Hard plaques are usually formed by calcium deposits, while the soft ones are due to fats, cholesterol, and fibrin deposits. These can lead to heart conditions like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angina: reduced blood flow to the heart causes chest pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kidney disorders&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coronary heart diseases: plaque formation in the arteries leading the heart<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carotid artery diseases: plaque in arteries leading to the brain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peripheral artery diseases:- plaque in arteries leading to various body organs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deep Vein Thrombosis: plaques causing the artery to burst to leading of blood clots within the vascular system<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>HOW IS ATHEROSCLEROSIS CAUSED?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The specific cause of atherosclerosis is unknown. Plaque formation is a slow process and can start during childhood as well. One of the major causes is damage to the inner lining of the arteries. The damage can be due to unhealthy lifestyle choices that lead to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">high cholesterol and triglycerides<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hypertension or high blood pressure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">frequent smoking and alcohol consumption<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">progressive obesity<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The chances of the coronary arteries getting affected are high in such cases. These factors can boost plaque formation and affect the blood flow in the aorta (a major blood vessel of the heart).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The symptoms of atherosclerosis depend on the severity of the affected artery and the affected organs. The mild signs and symptoms maybe:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chest pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">neck pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">breathing difficulties<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unable to do physical activities due to low oxygen supply&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tiredness, and so on.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If major arteries are blocked due to plaque, the signs and symptoms may be severe, like stroke, heart attack, or deep vein thrombosis.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>WHAT ARE THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOR ATHEROSCLEROSIS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The doctor will recommend a specific diagnostic test based on your signs and symptoms. Atherosclerosis can be diagnosed via blood tests, ECG (electrocardiogram), CT scan, Stress test, and other imaging techniques.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ECG &#8211; several electrodes on the chest, arms, and leg region record the heart rhythm and the electrical conductivity. The result is produced in the form of a graph showcasing a wave pattern.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CT scans &#8211; the X-ray and the advanced technology of intravenous contrast dyes can produce three-dimensional images of the internal chest condition and the major blood vessels.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angiography &#8211; if the person has a heart attack, the doctor will prescribe angiography that uses a catheter to record the real-time images and functioning of the heart and the coronary arteries.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ankle-Brachial Index &#8211; measures the blood flow in the limbs and detects blood clots (thrombosis)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>HOW IS ATHEROSCLEROSIS TREATED?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Based on the test reports, the doctor will discuss the treatment plans. If the atherosclerosis is severe, immediate medical treatment is needed to remove the plaque deposits in the arteries.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Medications<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those patients with mild plaques, medications are prescribed to reverse the effects.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statins, blood thinners, and blood pressure medicines are some that monitor and lower the bad cholesterol level and clot formation within the arteries.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nitroglycerin-based medications can dilate the arteries and maintain stable blood pressure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beta-blockers block the additional or unnecessary chemical messengers that may work up your heart muscles<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Surgery<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Severe plaques have to be treated with surgical procedures like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angioplasty and stent placement &#8211; the diseased artery is detected, and a mesh-tube stent is placed with the help of a deflated balloon to widen the constricted artery and remove the plaques. This is usually done for coronary artery blockages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bypass surgery &#8211; involves removing a healthy blood vessel from your body and creating a bypass for blood flow around the blocked artery.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from surgery and medication, the doctor may also suggest changes in your lifestyle and diet to maintain healthy body weight, good sleep, and daily exercises. Old people can do breathing exercises, walking, and light yoga to maintain an active lifestyle. Avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol can work wonders for your body. Regular check-ups are vital to ensure that atherosclerosis does not recur.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: black;\"><strong>Agilus Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Limited<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Atherosclerosis is a condition of blood vessels that thickens or hardens the arteries in the body.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[204],"tags":[624,626,625],"class_list":["post-16272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diseases","tag-atherosclerosis","tag-atherosclerosis-causes","tag-atherosclerosis-symptoms"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16272"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16272\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16743,"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16272\/revisions\/16743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agilusdiagnostics.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}