<![CDATA[Cholesterol]]> en daily 1 <![CDATA[Atherosclerosis Can Cause Coronary Artery Disease]]>
Coronary artery disease, also known as heart disease, is the most common cause of death in men and women in the United States. Coronary artery disease is caused by a buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries that supply the heart with blood. Heart disease is a result of atherosclerosis, a process that can occur anywhere in the body. In atherosclerosis, cholesterol and other substances (including calcium and white blood cells) infiltrate the artery walls, causing inflammation and the formation of plaques, which narrow arteries. This can cause blood pressure to rise, as well as a type of chest pain known as angina. Coronary artery disease can eventually lead to a heart attack.

The following information on coronary artery disease is from our Health A-Z Library.

]]> <![CDATA[Plaque in Your Arteries Can Cause a Heart Attack]]>
Atherosclerosis is a process in which fatty plaque can build up in the body's arteries, usually due to a combination of genetics, high levels of cholesterol, smoking, and other lifestyle factors. Atherosclerosis can even start in childhood, which may result in health problems in adulthood. If the plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with blood, it can set the stage for a heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction). A heart attack is a potentially life-threatening event that occurs when a blood clot forms on the surface of arterial plaque, dramatically reducing blood flow to heart tissue. The heart can be permanently damaged without emergency treatment. Heart attacks are sometimes silent, but they often cause symptoms such as chest pain, nausea, and vomiting, among other symptoms.

The following information on heart attacks is from our Health A-Z Library.

]]> <![CDATA[Atherosclerosis Can Cause a Stroke]]>
stroke occurs when the brain doesn't receive the oxygen that it needs. Atherosclerosis, a condition in which excess cholesterol in the bloodstream causes arteries to narrow and harden, can cause a stroke.

In atherosclerosis, LDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") is deposited in the lining of the arteries and forms a fatty lump known as a plaque. If the plaque occurs in the in the neck, it can block the flow of blood to the brain.

A reduced blood flow to the brain can cause transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), also known as mini-strokes. The plaque can also burst and cause a blood clot to form. The clot can cut off the blood supply, depriving the brain of oxygen, which is known as an ischemic stroke. (About 80% of strokes are ischemic strokes.)

The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about atherosclerosis and stroke.

]]> <![CDATA[Ischemic Stroke Symptoms]]>
stroke occurs when the brain doesn't receive the oxygen that it needs. About 80% of strokes are known as ischemic strokes and they occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked, most often by a clot.

Strokes require immediate medical attention. Brain damage can begin within minutes, but if a stroke is diagnosed quickly, the damage can be minimized. Clot-dissolving drugs can stop an ischemic stroke, but only if given in a brief window of time after the stroke symptoms appear. It is therefore vital to be able to recognize the symptoms of stroke as soon as they appear and call 911 immediately.

If you think someone is having a stroke, the National Stroke Association recommends that you ask the person to smile, raise his or her hands over his or her head, and say something. If he or she has slurred words, a lopsided smile, or difficulty on one side, you should get help as soon as possible.

The following information from our A-Z Health Library and can help you learn more about stroke symptoms.

]]> <![CDATA[What Is a "Mini-Stroke"?]]>
transient ischemic attack, is a episode in which the blood supply to the brain is interrupted for a few minutes (as opposed to an hour or more for a true stroke). Mini-strokes cause temporary stroke-like symptoms, such as dizziness or weakness on one side of the body.

Mini-strokes can be caused by atherosclerosis, a narrowing and hardening of the arteries due to excess cholesterol in the bloodstream. If there is too much LDL (or "bad cholesterol") in the blood, it is deposited in the arteries and forms a fatty lump (known as a plaque) that restricts blood flow.

If plaques are in the carotid arteries of the neck, they can reduce blood flow to the brain and cause mini-strokes. If a blood clot forms on the plaque, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, causing an ischemic stroke. In mini-strokes, the interruption of blood flow lasts only a few minutes—as opposed to an hour or more with a true stroke.

The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about your risk of stroke.

]]> <![CDATA[Preventing Stroke With a Carotid Artery Stent]]>
atherosclerosis, it can result in a stroke.

In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of stents—tiny metal tubes—to prop open carotid arteries and reduce the risk of stroke. Carotid artery stenting involves the placement of a stent via a catheter, which is typically threaded through a large blood vessel in the leg and into the neck area. Carotid artery stenting may reduce the risk of stroke, and may be an alternative to a type of surgery called endarterectomy, in which fatty plaque is removed from neck arteries.

The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about carotid artery stenting.

]]> <![CDATA[Neck-Artery Surgery May Stop Strokes]]>
Atherosclerosis, a narrowing and hardening of the arteries caused by excess cholesterol in the bloodstream, can affect the carotid arteries in the neck. Clogged neck arteries limit blood flow to the brain and can cause symptoms, including so-called mini-strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs).

If a cholesterol-filled plaque ruptures, it can cause a clot to form, resulting in a stroke. (About 80% of strokes are ischemic, a type of stroke caused by a blockage in blood flow to the brain, usually by a clot.) To help prevent strokes, doctors can perform a procedure known as a carotid endarterectomy, which is used to strip the fatty plaque out of the carotid arteries. The procedure is not risk-free, so doctors typically weigh the risk and benefits carefully for each patient. More than 140,000 carotid endarterectomies were performed in the United States in 2003.

The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about endarterectomy.

]]> <![CDATA[Should I Have Surgery for Peripheral Artery Disease?]]>
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects about 8 million Americans, but according to the American Heart Association, only about 25% of those people are undergoing treatment.

While medication and exercise can help, some people with PAD may be candidates for surgery, such as bypass surgery or angioplasty.

PAD is caused by atherosclerosis, a narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply the legs with blood. (This is the same artery-clogging process that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.)

Just as surgery to unclog arteries can help prevent heart attacks and strokes, angioplasties and bypass surgery can help restore blood flow to the legs of people with PAD. Although they are not as common as the comparable procedures for heart disease, the number of PAD surgeries is on the rise. An estimated 100,000 peripheral angioplasties are now performed in the U.S. each year.

The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about surgery for PAD.

]]> <![CDATA[What Does Peripheral Artery Disease Look Like?]]>
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)) is caused by atherosclerosis, an artery-clogging process that occurs when cholesterol accumulates in blood vessels. When atherosclerosis gradually narrows arteries and restricts blood flow to the legs, it can cause PAD. An unhealthy diet causes blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)—also known as "bad cholesterol"—to rise. If there is too much LDL in the bloodstream, some of it begins to penetrate the lining of the arteries.

Over time, the cholesterol in the LDL combines with other substances to form a fatty lump (called a plaque) along the inside of the artery. As the plaque grows in the artery that supply the legs with blood, it can cause leg pain. When atherosclerotic plaques develop in the legs and arms, they prevent muscles from receiving the oxygen-rich blood that they need.

The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about PAD.

]]> <![CDATA[How to Exercise When You Have Peripheral Artery Disease]]>
peripheral artery disease (PAD) can make walking or any other type of exercise painful, exercise is actually one of the most beneficial things that you can do to reduce the pain caused by PAD.

PAD is the result of atherosclerosis, a narrowing and hardening of the arteries caused by excess LDL cholesterol (known as "bad cholesterol") in the bloodstream. Doctors urge people with PAD or other health problems due to atherosclerosis to adopt a diet low in fat (especially saturated fat) and refined carbohydrates. Many atherosclerosis patients also take statins to lower their cholesterol and beta-blockers or other drugs to lower their blood pressure.

Exercise is a key component of any atherosclerosis treatment. Physical activity has been shown to boost HDL (known as “good cholesterol”) and lower LDL, which contributes to atherosclerosis.

Those with PAD may need a supervised exercise program, but exercise (and quitting smoking) can be extremely beneficial. PAD prevents muscles from getting enough oxygen-rich blood, which can cause pain.

The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about PAD.

]]>