What Causes Hardening of the Arteries?

Atherosclerosis is the name of the condition in which one's arteries have been clogged by fatty plaque deposits along the artery walls. It reduces the amount of blood and oxygen that is able to flow to the organs in its path.

Background

• Hardening of the arteries is an advancing disease. It can begin as early as childhood. Fatty deposits can begin to develop in the aorta right after birth. This generally occurs in those who have a family history of high cholesterol and hardening of arteries.

Causes

• The exact cause has yet to be determined, but there are several known risk factors. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, a lack of exercise, a diet rich in saturated fat, advanced age and genetic predisposition are known risk factors.

Conditions

• Two common conditions resulting from hardening of arteries are coronary artery disease, which leads to angina, heart disease, heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms. When the brain arteries are clogged, a person can have a transient ischemic attack or even a stroke.

Symptoms

• Atherosclerosis itself doesn't cause symptoms but the narrowing it causes in artery walls causes the body to demonstrate symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, anxiety, sore esophagus, numbness, weakness, loss of speech, difficulty swallowing, blindness and pain in legs.

Prevention

• Take control of the risk factors you can affect such as high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and lack of exercise. You can also eat a healthy diet and avoid stress to help prevent atherosclerosis.