Atherosclerosis |
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Atherosclerosis is a form of arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Most heart attacks can be traced to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, through which travels the blood which nourishes the heart muscle. Most strokes result from atherosclerosis in the arteries that deliver blood to the brain. This disease may begin at an early age and go undetected until the middle years or later. Most people have it to some degree without troublesome symptoms and live a normal life span. In atherosclerosis, the inner walls of the arteries are gradually thickened and roughened by deposits of fatty material. As more layers of deposits are formed, they narrow the channel through the artery, hindering the flow of blood. When the artery wall is considerably roughened, blood clots may form on the roughened areas and block circulation at that point. Research scientists are seeking the causes of atherosclerosis and ways to prevent and cure it. Changing the fat content of our diet may be one approach, and long-range studies are underway to discover whether a modified fat diet will help to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Other factors being investigated include the role of exercise or its lack, emotional stress, heredity, excessive smoking, and sex hormones. Excessive smoking, especially of cigarettes, is regarded by many scientists as a contributory cause to heart and blood vessel diseases, because of the constricting effect of smoking on the smaller arteries. |
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