Atherosclerosis- Causes and Prevention
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. It is the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for 34% of all deaths in Australia in 2006. Cardiovascular disease kills one Australian nearly every 10 minutes.
CVD is usually caused by atherosclerosis.
What is Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. The term atherosclerosis comes from two Greek words atheros- meaning fatty mush and skleros, meaning hard. This word combination indicates that atherosclerosis begins as soft deposits of fat that harden with the age. Although this condition can occur in any artery in the body, the atheromas - fatty deposits have a preference for the coronary arteries.
Atherosclerosis is the major cause of coronary heart disease and develops due to long standing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, obesity, smoking, alcohol intake and diabetes.
It is characterized by a deposit of cholesterol and lipids, primarily within the inner wall of the artery. The origin of plaque formation is the result of the complex interaction between the components of the blood and the elements forming the vascular wall.The endothelium, one of the layers of the blood vessels, can be damaged as a result of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
There is some evidence to suggest that systemic bacterial and viral infections play a role in damaging endothelium by causing a local inflammatory response, thus contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. Once endothelial injury has occurred the carrier substances in the blood transport cholesterol and other lipids into artery. Lipids (fats) may cause smooth muscle damage in the artery and contribute to plague thickening. As these lipids and substances pass through the vessels, they stick to the roughened, damaged wall forming the atherosclerotic plague. At first, the vessel walls accommodate the growing plague by expanding outward, however these fatty mass begins to protrude into the vessel lumen and, therefore causing the narrowing of the artery. If this process continues artery becomes narrower and narrower. The artery wall becomes fray and ulcerative, conditions that encourage blood sludging and back up, platelet adhesion, and thrombus formation. The vessels increased rigidity leads to high blood pressure. Together, these event increase the risk of heart attack or myocardial infarct, strokes, and aneurysms, and are responsible for the chest pain (angina) that occurs when heart muscle is ischemic ( an inadequate oxygen supply to heart).
How to prevent atherosclerosis and consequently CVD
Of course is best to prevent atherosclerosis from progressing in first place by lowering cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure, loosing weight, quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, and exercising regularly.
Study released by National Heart Foundation of Australia in 2003 revealed that each year cardiovascular disease robs Australians of nearly 500,000 years of healthy life.
For more information visit: http://goingwithus.com
CVD is usually caused by atherosclerosis.
What is Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. The term atherosclerosis comes from two Greek words atheros- meaning fatty mush and skleros, meaning hard. This word combination indicates that atherosclerosis begins as soft deposits of fat that harden with the age. Although this condition can occur in any artery in the body, the atheromas - fatty deposits have a preference for the coronary arteries.
Atherosclerosis is the major cause of coronary heart disease and develops due to long standing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, obesity, smoking, alcohol intake and diabetes.
It is characterized by a deposit of cholesterol and lipids, primarily within the inner wall of the artery. The origin of plaque formation is the result of the complex interaction between the components of the blood and the elements forming the vascular wall.The endothelium, one of the layers of the blood vessels, can be damaged as a result of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
There is some evidence to suggest that systemic bacterial and viral infections play a role in damaging endothelium by causing a local inflammatory response, thus contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. Once endothelial injury has occurred the carrier substances in the blood transport cholesterol and other lipids into artery. Lipids (fats) may cause smooth muscle damage in the artery and contribute to plague thickening. As these lipids and substances pass through the vessels, they stick to the roughened, damaged wall forming the atherosclerotic plague. At first, the vessel walls accommodate the growing plague by expanding outward, however these fatty mass begins to protrude into the vessel lumen and, therefore causing the narrowing of the artery. If this process continues artery becomes narrower and narrower. The artery wall becomes fray and ulcerative, conditions that encourage blood sludging and back up, platelet adhesion, and thrombus formation. The vessels increased rigidity leads to high blood pressure. Together, these event increase the risk of heart attack or myocardial infarct, strokes, and aneurysms, and are responsible for the chest pain (angina) that occurs when heart muscle is ischemic ( an inadequate oxygen supply to heart).
How to prevent atherosclerosis and consequently CVD
Of course is best to prevent atherosclerosis from progressing in first place by lowering cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure, loosing weight, quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, and exercising regularly.
Study released by National Heart Foundation of Australia in 2003 revealed that each year cardiovascular disease robs Australians of nearly 500,000 years of healthy life.
For more information visit: http://goingwithus.com
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