Arteriosclerosis leads to stiffening of the arteries (particularly medium and large arteries) and loss of their elasticity. Arteries are the blood vessels in the human body which perform the vital function of carrying oxygen and nutrients from heart to rest of the body. Ideally, the arteries should be flexible, strong and elastic, however, too much pressure inside them can make the artery walls thick and stiff. Thickness of the walls can restrict the blood flow to organs and tissues. If vital organs like the brain or heart are affected, it can lead to stroke or heart attack and if other organs like limbs or kidneys are affected, it can lead to pain, numbness or muscle cramps.
Symptoms
Arteriosclerosis commonly affects the limbs first. The disease is initially asymptomatic and develops slowly. It worsens with age. The disease may start building up during adulthood but the signs or symptoms are not evident until a blocked artery cuts off the supply of adequate blood to muscles and tissues. Following are some of the symptoms of arteriosclerosis affecting the limbs.
Chronic Pain in legs: A patient suffering from arteriosclerosis generally complains of chronic pain in legs. The color of the legs may also turn dark and most of the time, they remain cold. Because of the pain, the patient may find difficulty in walking and show lethargy towards work.
Loss of Hair on legs and feet: If hair is usually present on the legs and hands of a patient, a significant loss is seen when he suffers from arteriosclerosis. The decrease in hair is quite visible in such cases.
Muscle pain: The patient might feel pain in the thighs, calves or feet, and find it difficult to sit or sleep comfortably. This symptom should not be ignored and a doctor should be consulted if the pain persists for a long period of time.
Numbness of the legs or feet at rest: The patient may often find his feet or legs becoming numb in case he sits in one position for a long time. He may also feel stiffness in the muscles and find it painful to walk under such conditions.
Treatment
Medications, surgeries and a changed lifestyle can help a patient in improvement of his heart efficiency. Following are some of the treatments given for arteriosclerosis.
Cholesterol medications: Cholesterol treatment helps to slow down, stop, or even reverse the buildup of fatty deposits the patient's arteries. Some doctors prescribe anticoagulants to patients suffering from arteriosclerosis, which act as blood thinners, thus preventing the formation of blood clots.
Anti-Platelet medications: This kind of medication reduces the possibility of blood clumping in narrowed arteries. Besides anti-platelet medication, balloon angioplasty also provides a potential treatment option for arteriosclerosis. It is used to open the coronary arteries, but performed on the blood vessels of the affected extremity.
Surgery: Surgery is helpful for treatment, and is often chosen over medication. There are various kinds of surgeries for the treatment of this disease, out of which bypass surgery, done using a vein or an artificial graft, is very common. Besides this, endarterectomy (removal of the lining of artery) and grafting (repairing or replacing the vessel) are other surgical methods used for arteriosclerosis.
Self-Care: The patient should start exercising and alternate it with rest periods, as it helps in improvement of blood circulation. Smoking should be given up in order to loosen up the arteries and increase the blood's ability to carry oxygen. It is also important to pay attention to any cuts or injuries, as they might increase the risk of infection. Hydrogenated fats and an excess of saturated fats like butter or cream, should be avoided by the patient. Some doctors also ask the patients to keep away from refined and processed foods, pickles, strong tea, coffee, white sugar and all such similar products.
As symptoms of arteriosclerosis are not very evident in the early stage, a person should be on the look out for any signs that could lead to this disease.
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