Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic. Over time, however, too much pressure in your arteries can make the walls thick and stiff — sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tiss

What is it?

Atherosclerosis is a form of arteriosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fats in and on your artery walls, we call these 'plaques', which can restrict blood flow. These plaques could possibly burst, causing a blood clot. Atherosclerosis is a preventable and treatable condition.

How do I recognise it?

Atherosclerosis develops gradually and unfortunately it often isn't diagnosed until it has progressed far enough to cause problems.

However you may experience some of the following:

  • symptoms similar to those of a heart attack, such as chest pain (angina).
  • sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs, difficulty speaking or slurred speech, or drooping muscles in your face.
  • symptoms of peripheral arterial disease, such as leg pain when walking.

Sometimes Atherosclerosis causes erectile dysfunction in men.

Causes

The exact cause is unknown, but it is suspected that it starts with damage or injury to the inner layer of an artery. The damage may be caused by:

How do you treat it?

Like any disease, even if there is no cure, there is almost always something you can do to manage it and take control. There are three main areas involved in the treatment of any disease:

For information on medicines and therapies relevant to Atherosclerosis, make an appointment at Lynch's Pharmacy, Douglas, Cork on 021-4366923.

Learn all about the drugs used to treat the disease and any complementary medicines or therapies proven to help. Equip yourself with the tools to manage the condition and not be managed by it.

How do you live with it?

Certain adjustments may be needed to get on with your life, and often, some simple tips and advice can go a long way to making these changes. 

We give you all the necessary information available to make your life more manageable and enable you to better live with your condition.

References

Atherosclerosis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis/Athersclerosis-A Comprehensive Review                                                                                                                    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/arteriosclerosis-atherosclerosis/DS00525/DSECTION=causes

Atherosclerosis, information for patients                                                                                                                                                          http://www.cks.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/atherosclerosis#-460277