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- What is atherosclerosis?
- Symptoms of atherosclerosis
- Causes of atherosclerosis
- Prevention of atherosclerosis
- Risk factors for atherosclerosis
- Complications of atherosclerosis
- When to see a doctor about atherosclerosis
- Diagnosis of atherosclerosis
- Conventional treatment of atherosclerosis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of atherosclerosis
- Living with atherosclerosis
- Caring for someone with atherosclerosis
Complications of atherosclerosis
There are a number of serious complications that can occur as a result of atherosclerosis:
- Aneurysms - atherosclerosis can increase risk for an aneurysm occurring. An aneurysm causes a bulging out and widening of an artery or vein which may burst suddenly if the pressure on the aneurysm is too great and this can be serious and life threatening. In some cases, the aneurysm may slowly leak rather than bursting suddenly. An aneurysm can occur anywhere in the body, including the heart
- Cerebrovascular disease - if artery affected is near the brain and the plaque blockage ruptures or breaks off and it travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke to occur. Stroke can cause temporary to permanent brain damage and even death if the damage to the brain is severe enough. In addition to this, a temporary blockages in an artery in or near the brain can cause transient ischaemia attacks (TIAs), which are basically mini strokes, that cause no immediate brain injury. While TIAs are not serious, they can indicate that there is damage to some of those arteries that lead up to the brain and that a stroke could occur due to this artery damage
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- Coronary artery disease - if the artery affected is near the heart and the plaque blockage is stable, it can cause angina (or chest pain) on any type of exertion. If any of the plaque break off or rupture, this can cause a heart attack if the clot travels to the heart. In a heart attack, some or all of the heart muscle may die which is can be very serious and life threatening
- Peripheral artery disease - if the arteries affected are in the legs especially or arms, the plaque blockages can cause poor circulation which may contribute to poor wound healing or cause pain when walking. Severe peripheral artery disease may lead to gangrene which may lead to an amputation
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< 5: risk factors 7: when to see a doctor > Last reviewed: 27 October 2007 || Last updated: 12 March 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
