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Coronary atherosclerosis is a serious medical condition in which plaque, made up of calcium, fat, cholesterol and other substances, accumulates inside the arteries. Arteries are the blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart and other parts of the body. The accumulation of plaque inside the arteries hardens and narrows them, which hinders proper blood circulation.

Atherosclerosis can cause serious complications like stroke, heart failure or death.

Symptoms

Angina or severe chest pain is the common symptom of coronary atherosclerosis. Angina is characterized by severe pain, discomfort, heaviness, tightness, numbness, or fullness in the chest. The pain may also be felt in the shoulder, neck, and arms. Some people may show no symptom of coronary atherosclerosis until the fatal heart attack.

Some other prominent symptoms of coronary atherosclerosis are

• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Irregular heart beats
• Severe headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Speech and vision impairment

Causes

The precise cause of coronary atherosclerosis is still not known. Nevertheless, various studies and medical research show that the disease may start as early as late teens and develop with age.

Some of the reasons which may cause coronary atherosclerosis are

• Cigarette/tobacco
• Fat and high cholesterol
• Hypertension
• High triglycerides
• Elevated blood sugar levels due to diabetes
• Lack of physical activity
• Obesity

There are some other natural risk factors that can cause coronary atherosclerosis. These are as follows:

• Heredity (genetic inheritance of stroke, coronary artery disease, coronary atherosclerosis, high blood pressure)
• Sex (men at greater risk before 60; after 60, risk same for both sexes)
• Age (high risk for men over 45; 55 and older for women )

Treatment

Coronary atherosclerosis treatment includes lifestyle alterations, medication, lipid control drugs, bypass surgery, angioplasty, and regular medical follow ups.

Complications of Coronary Atherosclerosis

Some of the serious complications of coronary atherosclerosis are mentioned below.

• With time, angina may become severe and unresponsive to medication. The angina pain may also be caused by slight exertion. The condition is called unstable angina.
• The narrowed arteries may cause coronary artery disease, which may result in a heart attack.
• A major heart attack may weaken or damage the heart, which may result in congestive heart failure or diseases associated with irregular heart beat such as arrhythmias.

Regular medication and lifestyle changes are important factors to maintain good heart health. Advanced treatment methods and techniques have made it possible to prevent and regulate any health complication.

References

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8443920