ATHEROSCLEROSIS

I t s a d i s e a s e p r o c e s s , t h a t l e a d s t o
coronary heart disease and stroke.
In atherosclerosis fatty deposits
can either block an artery directly
or increase the chances of it being
blocked by a blood clot
( t h ro m b o s i s ) .
If this happens in the artery
supplying the heart, a heart
attack(myocardial infarction)
results.

If it happens in an artery supplying the

brain stroke results.
Heart attacks and strokes occur because
when blood supply is restricted or denied
from cells they die.
Narrowing of blood vessels to the legs may
result in tissue death and gangrene (decay)
Aneurysm i.e. damming of blood behind a
narrowed region of the artery may result.
Rapturing of the aneurysm can be fatal.

COURSE OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS: STEP 1 - DAMAGE

The first step and so the Formation of atherosclerosis

cause of atherosclerosis
is damage to the
endothelium of an artery.
The endothelium is a
very thin layer of cells
that lines the inside of
an artery and thus is
quite vulnerable to
damage from the high
blood pressure in an
artery

 Damage to the endothelium can also occur from

the toxins that are found in cigarette smoke and
therefore it is said that smokers are more at risk
from atherosclerosis (and so heart attacks and
stroke) than other people.
Atherosclerosis - Part 2 - Inflammatory Response

After the endothelium has been damaged, an

inflammatory response occurs.
White blood cells leave the blood vessel and
move into the artery wall.
Chemicals accumulate on the white blood cells,
particularly cholesterol.
This deposit is called an atheroma (making up
the 'athero' in 'atherosclerosis')

ATHEROSCLEROSIS - PART 3 - SCLEROSIS

Fibrous tissue and calcium salts

add themselves to the atheroma
formed.
This creates a hard plaque (hard
swelling of the aterial wall)
As a result, elasticity of the artery
is lost.

ATHEROSCLEROSIS - PART 4 - POSITIVE FEEDBACK

Since the plaques make the artery

narrower (by taking up space in the
lumen), blood pressure is raised.
Higher blood pressure increases the
chance of atherosclerosis and
therefore as atherosclerosis
increases, the chance of acquiring
further atherosclerosis increases
(positive feedback).

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms do not appear until it

severely narrows or blocks an artery many
people do not know they have a problem
until they have a medical emergency.
Some people may have signs and
symptoms . This will depend on which artery
is blocked.
These signs and symptoms can be listed as
follows.

CORONARY ARTERY

The symptoms of (CHD) include the following;

1)Angina .
2)Shortness of breath
3)Arrhythmia
Can also affect small arteries (arteriole)
leading to coronary(MVD). Symptoms include.
1)Sleep problems
2)Fatigue
3)Lack of energy (malaise)

CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE

If a plaque narrows or blocks this artery a
condition called (CAD) results.
Symptoms include.
1)Sudden weakness or numbness on the faces or
limbs often on one side of the body.
2)Inability to move one or more of the limbs.
3)Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
4)Dizziness or lose of balance
5)A sudden severe headache with no known cause.

PERIPHERAL ARTERY DISEASE

Plaque can also in the major arteries

supplying the legs, arms, and pelvis.
When this happens it is called peripheral
artery disease. (PAD). The symptoms
include.
1)Numbness
2)Pain
3)Gangrene.

WHY BLOOD CLOT IN ARTERIES.

When blood vessels walls are damaged or blood
flows very slowly, a blood clot is much more likely
to happen.
When platelets come into contact with a damaged
vessel wall they initiate the healing process
They change from flattened discs to sphere with
thin long projections.
Their cell surface change , causing them to stick to
the exposed collagen in the wall and to each other
to form a temporally platelet plug. This leads to
blood clotting.

CONT.

The fast flowing blood in arteries is

under high pressure so there is a
significant chance of damage to the
walls
The low pressure in veins means that
there is less risk of damage to the walls.
These damage eventually leads to
atherosclerosis.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

A

ship is always safe at the shore-but thats not what it is built for(Albert
Einstein)

THE END
BY PETER THUITA