Treatment of coronary vessels of the heart. Diagnosis and treatment of coronary atherosclerosis

The most terrible enemy of any inhabitant of the planet over 50 years old, an insidious enemy, overtaking unexpectedly and changing life once and for all. An enemy you need to know by sight. Meet atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries.

Truly frightening data is provided by medical statistics - every second death in the world occurs due to coronary heart disease. The cause of which is atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. This has always been the case, except during times of total military battles. The saddest thing is that from year to year these readings change for the worse. This is despite the fact that medicine continues to develop, regional vascular centers are opening to resolve the current situation, and new medications are being produced. Let's try to figure out what kind of disease this is and how to defeat it.

With significant narrowing of the arteries and arterioles (the smallest vessels) of the heart, their damage by the atherosclerotic process, the heart performs its job worse and worse. At rest, pain most often does not bother you, but when walking, running, lifting heavy objects or strong experiences, the heart begins to work faster. That’s when the patient’s characteristic pain appears. As a rule, a person complains of a compressive sensation, similar to a feeling of heaviness, and points his hand to the center of the chest or the left side. With rest the pain goes away. This condition is medically called angina. In more severe cases, when atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels of the heart is even more widespread, similar pain occurs even with the slightest movement.

Why does my heart hurt?

At the beginning of the disease, a person usually does not feel sick - he has no complaints or discomfort. For a long time, atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries of the heart proceeds painlessly, without making itself felt. As a rule, when an atherosclerotic plaque enlarges and bulges into the lumen of the vessel, the first symptoms appear. The vessel that supplies blood to the heart muscle becomes narrow. Blood flows through it worse. There is a lack of oxygen and the heart begins to cope poorly with the load. The organ suffers, roughly speaking, from malnutrition. There is a well-known expression in medicine: “pain in the heart is its cry for help.”

Development of the disease

Angina pectoris is a disease that can bother a person for decades in a row. However, more often the disease progresses. If proper attention is not paid to treatment, atherosclerosis continues to grow and a heart attack develops.

At the molecular level, the cause of a heart attack is stenotic atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries . That is, a huge, total damage to the blood vessels of the heart. It happens something like this: the covering of the plaque ruptures and blood particles begin to “stick” to the liquid core, creating a clot. The already narrow vessel closes completely. Inflammation begins in its lumen. And in that part of the muscle that was supplied from this vessel, a catastrophe occurs. When the muscle stops receiving nutrition, it dies. At this moment, the patient feels a sharp, unbearable pain in the chest, fear, and shortness of breath may appear. This moment is critical for life. Some survive, some don't. This depends primarily on how extensive the affected area is. Of course, the age, condition of the patient, and his other chronic diseases play a role.

How to fight

The very first question patients ask is whether atherosclerosis can be cured. Definitely not. There is no medicine that would reverse the process, reduce or disappear the plaque. Treatment is to stabilize the situation. Slow down the growth of atherosclerosis, and in the most successful case, stop it altogether. Ideally, you need to think about this before symptoms appear. However, later this literally becomes a vital necessity.

No matter how trite it sounds, you should start with changing your lifestyle. Namely, with proper nutrition. The fats that make up the plaque mostly come from the fats we eat. It should be borne in mind that only animal fats should be considered “to blame” for the formation of atherosclerosis - they are the ones that are dangerous. Vegetable fats do not cause the growth of atherosclerosis. Butter, cream, fatty meat - these are the foods that need to be strictly limited. On the contrary, vegetables, fruits, and grains are extremely healthy products. Their content should make up the majority of the diet. Much attention is paid to vegetable oils; they should, if possible, replace butter.

In addition to nutrition, metabolism is of great importance. A person with increased body weight is much more at risk of developing coronary heart disease. In addition, diabetes mellitus, especially poorly treated diabetes with high blood sugar levels, increases the tendency to atherosclerosis.

Heredity makes a significant contribution to morbidity. Atherosclerosis of the aorta and coronary arteries can develop even at a young age and be very aggressive if the patient has a genetic predisposition. It can be detected by tests that show the content of total cholesterol and its fractions in the blood. The fact is that one of the types of blood fats is the most dangerous. Therefore, it is very important to do a detailed analysis. With a serious disorder of lipid metabolism, an increase in “bad” cholesterol - LDL (more than 3) and an increase in total cholesterol (more than 5) are detected.

Drug treatment

There are medications that can affect fat metabolism. They are called statins, and they suppress the increase in “bad” cholesterol, which causes an increase in atherosclerosis. Statins also reduce total blood cholesterol. According to some scientific data, these drugs can even slightly reduce the size of atherosclerotic plaques, but you should not seriously count on this.

Prescription and dose selection of medications of this kind should only be carried out by a doctor. Like any other medications, they have a number of side effects, for example, they affect liver function. For this reason, they are prescribed strictly according to indications, focusing on tests and the severity of the disease. Timely intake of statins in appropriate dosages is one of the most powerful means of preventing atherosclerosis.

Operation

It would seem that the size of the affected vessels in coronary heart disease is quite small for surgery. But fortunately, modern medicine can even do this. In case of severe angina or acute heart attack, a special intervention is performed - coronary angiography. A microscopic probe is inserted into the heart vessel and contrast is injected. Under high magnification, doctors can see where blood flow is obstructed and correct the problem. Using a special balloon, the narrowing site is expanded and a stent is installed - a mesh-shaped structure that increases the lumen. This operation is performed under local anesthesia. Moreover, opening the chest is not required, only a small puncture on the arm or thigh.

Stenting could have been considered a salvation, if not for one thing. The vessels on which the intervention occurred are again affected by atherosclerosis if statins and a number of other medications are not taken. After the operation, the patient is simply obliged to take medications for life, according to a certain scheme.

To summarize, we can say that atherosclerosis is really enemy number one. But having looked at it from all sides, we can successfully repel attacks. The main thing is to act on time and wisely.

What is vascular atherosclerosis

Vascular atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that affects blood vessels in almost the entire body: brain vessels, heart vessels (coronary vessels), arteries, vessels of the lower extremities. The form and symptoms of atherosclerosis depend on the location of the disease.

The essence of atherosclerosis is that growths, cholesterol deposits, appear on the inner surface of the arteries (which in a healthy state is even and smooth). They harden and affect the inner walls of the vessel. These growths (“cholesterol atherosclerotic plaques”) are covered with connective tissue, protrude into the cavity of the blood vessel and narrow the lumen of the vessel, reduce its diameter and impede blood circulation. Internal organs suffering from lack of nutrition cease to function fully. The risk of thrombosis and stroke increases.

Causes of atherosclerosis

The causes of atherosclerosis can be divided into primary and secondary. The primary causes of atherosclerosis include previous diseases:

gout (increased levels of uric acid in the body);
hypertension (systematically high blood pressure);
diabetes mellitus (carbohydrate metabolism disorders);
hypothyroidism (underfunction of the thyroid gland);
acute and chronic kidney diseases;
liver diseases, which result in increased production of endogenous cholesterol.

Secondary factors in the formation of atherosclerosis are lifestyle, dietary habits, and the presence of bad habits.

alcohol and smoking;
excess body weight;
sedentary lifestyle;
consumption of fatty and fried foods (especially trans fats);
long-term use of hormonal contraceptives;
advanced age;
stress, physical and emotional stress.

Forms and symptoms of vascular atherosclerosis

Symptoms of atherosclerosis depend on the location of the disease.

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. They often say “cerebral atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels.” In this case, the arteries of the brain are affected by cholesterol plaques located in large and medium-sized vessels. Symptoms: memory loss, concentration, decreased mental activity, dizziness, headaches. Symptoms of cerebral atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels are often associated with typical signs of aging.
Atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries(carotid atherosclerosis) is a disease characterized by damage to the carotid arteries. The carotid arteries are the most important conductors of oxygen for the brain. Speech abilities, thinking, sensations and motor activity depend on the full functioning of these arteries. When the carotid arteries are damaged, the full functioning of the brain and the entire body is disrupted. Symptoms of this atherosclerosis: unintelligible speech, loss of vision in one eye, memory impairment, sensations of loss of sensitivity, numbness of the limbs.
Atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels. There is a disruption in the blood supply to the tissues of the heart, externally this manifests itself as angina attacks, cardiosclerosis, cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction.
Atherosclerosis of the thoracic aorta. Symptoms: increased systolic blood pressure, dizziness, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, prolonged pressing or burning pain in the chest.
Atherosclerosis of the lower extremities. In the initial stages of the disease, symptoms of atherosclerosis of the lower extremities include fatigue and pain in the calf muscles, chilliness in the legs, cramps, and pale skin of the legs.
Obliterating atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, is one of the forms of atherosclerosis of the legs. In this disease, cholesterol plaques form on the walls of the arteries and interfere with normal blood flow, causing narrowing of the blood vessels (stenosis) or complete blockage, called occlusion or obliteration. In the advanced stage of obliterating atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, an irreversible process of necrosis occurs - gangrene of the leg (death of all tissues below the site of artery blockage).

Complications resulting from atherosclerosis

As a result of atherosclerosis, a chronic autoimmune process often develops in atherosclerotic plaques. The connective tissue grows and this leads to slow deformation and narrowing of the lumens, thereby causing a chronic, slowly increasing insufficiency of blood supply to the organ that is fed through the affected artery. It is also possible that the lumen may be blocked by a blood clot or the contents of an atherosclerotic plaque that has disintegrated.

As a result, the most severe complications of vascular atherosclerosis are stroke, heart attack (tissue necrosis) and gangrene in the organ that is supplied by this artery.

A stroke is an acute circulatory disorder in the brain. A distinction is made between ischemic stroke (a cholesterol plaque or blood clot blocks a vessel) and hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain, often a consequence of high blood pressure). Thus, through stroke, complications resulting from atherosclerosis lead to neurological problems, including paralysis.

When talking about a heart attack, they most often mean myocardial infarction (a consequence of atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels), a lesion of the heart. In this case, necrotic changes in the tissues of the heart muscle are irreversible; a connective tissue scar will remain. And in the future, this scar will interfere with normal blood flow in the vessels of the heart.

In the case of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, complications in the form of gangrene often lead to amputation.

All these conditions and diseases are life-threatening and often lead to disability.

Prevention of atherosclerosis

Prevention of atherosclerosis includes quitting smoking, weight regulation, limiting emotional overload, certain dietary restrictions, and increasing physical activity.

To maintain the body and prevent atherosclerosis, you should eat foods low in salt, sugar and cholesterol. A low-calorie, low-fat diet is recommended. It is necessary to eat cereals, vegetables, herbs, red wine, and unrefined vegetable oil.

Treatment of vascular atherosclerosis

Treatment of atherosclerosis can be medicinal and surgical.

Treatment of cerebral atherosclerosis is, of course, medication. Prescribed drugs that:

dilate blood vessels in the brain;
strengthen the elasticity of the vascular wall;
improve metabolism at the cellular level of the brain;
lower the level of cholesterol in blood vessels;
relieve vascular spasms.

In the treatment of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, in addition to taking medications, physiotherapeutic treatment is also used. In the presence of trophic ulcers, antibiotic ointments are used.

In the treatment of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, surgical intervention is also allowed, but usually this is a last resort. Surgery is prescribed in case of pronounced ischemia and the occurrence of very severe complications.

The need and extent of surgical intervention is determined by the surgeon. Surgical treatment of atherosclerosis does not provide a complete cure. The complication is eliminated, not the cause that caused it (atherosclerosis). Therefore, after surgery, changes in lifestyle, nutrition and conservative treatment are mandatory.

treatment of a concomitant disease that aggravates atherosclerosis (for example, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, etc.),
smoking cessation,
low cholesterol diet,
moderate physical activity,
in case of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the legs - wearing comfortable shoes.

Dienai line drugs are suitable both for already diagnosed atherosclerosis and for the prevention of vascular atherosclerosis. In this case, the difference will only be in the duration of administration and in the amount of drugs.

For example, for the prevention of cerebral atherosclerosis You can take Midivirine - a source of oligonucleotides and natural taurine.

For the prevention of atherosclerosis of heart vessels- you can take one basic Dienay or in combination with Venomax, - a source of oligonucleotides and bioflavonoids, the drug cleanses blood vessels and strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

For the prevention of atherosclerosis of blood vessels of the lower extremities- you can also take Venomax, but in combination with Venomax Axiom. Venomax Axima accelerates the outflow of lymph from tissues in which blood circulation is reduced and eliminates swelling of the lower extremities.

In cases of progressive atherosclerosis The following complexes can be recommended:

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, - drugs:
- 1st month: Dienai 70 capsules
- 2nd month: Venomax 50 capsules + Vazomax 30 capsules
- 3rd month: Midivirin 70 capsules
- 4th month: Neurostim 50 capsules
- 5th month: Neurostim Indigo 10 capsules
Obliterating atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, - drugs:
- 1st month: Dienay + Venomax Axiom 10 capsules
- 2nd month: suppress the inflammatory process in blood vessels. The latter is very important, since as a result of inflammation, the atherosclerotic plaque becomes unstable and can rupture at any time, fraught with the formation of a blood clot and the development of myocardial infarction.
  Clinical trials of Dienai have shown that the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood is reduced by 25-30%, unlike pharmacological drugs statins, which have a direct suppressive effect on cholesterol synthesis; discontinuation of Dienai does not cause a sharp reverse effect, that is, an even higher increase in cholesterol levels . Dienai can and should be taken with traditional lipid-lowering drugs, since the mechanisms of its antiatherogenic action are different, and therefore complement and make the treatment of multifactorial atherosclerosis complex.
  
  Drug dosage regimen
  
  All the drugs listed above applied sequentially, first a course of one drug, then another, etc. Each package is a course for a month.
  
  Dosage: start taking 1 capsule per day, then increase the dosage by 1 capsule every 3 days. The maximum dosage is 3-4 capsules per day.
  
  In case of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the head, it is necessary to understand that Dienai preparations cleanse the vessels (for the vessels of the head this is sensitive), so there may be discomfort in the form of a headache. In this case, simply reduce the dosage to a comfortable level.
  
  In case of myocardial infarction, stroke, enderteritis, type 1 or 2 diabetes, taking the above medications is necessary in combination with pharmacological drugs prescribed by your doctor.

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the heart vessels
Atherosclerosis coronary heart arteries is the most common cause of coronary heart disease, which occurs against the background of impaired blood supply to the heart muscle. How myocardial infarction, so angina pectoris are the results of atherosclerosis of the heart arteries of varying severity. In the case of partial blockage of the heart vessels, coronary heart disease of varying degrees of severity makes itself known. If a patient develops a myocardial infarction, this means a complete blockage of the heart vessels. After reading the information presented in this article, you will be able to familiarize yourself with the main signs and symptoms accompanying such a pathology as atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries of the heart.

Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries of the heart

Blood enters the heart area through two coronary arteries, which arise directly from the very beginning of the aorta, which is the central blood vessel of the human body. Any disturbance of blood circulation in the coronary heart arteries causes disruption of the functioning of the heart muscle, which in turn leads to the development of a heart attack, that is, necrosis of one or another part of the heart muscle. The most common cause of the development of such circulatory disorders is considered to be atherosclerosis of these arteries. Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is accompanied by the formation of so-called compactions in the arterial walls, which are called plaques. The presence of such seals gradually leads to the fact that the walls of the arteries begin not only to deform, but also to collapse, and their significant narrowing is noted. The degree of narrowing of the arterial lumen, as well as circulatory disorders in this area, play a major role in the severity of the signs of this pathology. It should be noted that all these signs in most cases resemble symptoms of coronary heart disease, which occurs against the background of this very disease.

Symptoms accompanying atherosclerosis of the heart vessels

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries of the heart are signs of angina pectoris and coronary heart disease, as well as cardiosclerosis and myocardial infarction. A clear sign of the presence of this pathology is considered to be attacks of angina, accompanied by:

Burning or pressing pain in the chest area, which usually radiates to the left shoulder and back. This kind of pain makes itself felt at the time of physical activity or stressful conditions;
Shortness of breath – a feeling of lack of air is created, which is noted at the onset of pain. Sometimes people are forced to experience this type of attack in a sitting position, since lying down they simply suffocate;
There are also patients in whom this type of attack is also characterized by headache, severe dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

In most cases, this type of attack can be stopped with the help of nitroglycerin, since this pharmaceutical agent is the main one in the fight against angina attacks. In case of complications in the course of this pathology, symptoms such as:

Myocardial infarction
Very strong pain in the chest area, similar to the pain of angina pectoris, which cannot be relieved by taking nitroglycerin, sudden onset of heart failure, severe shortness of breath, and loss of consciousness is quite possible.

Cardiosclerosis
Gradual development of heart failure due to physical activity, shortness of breath, as well as excessive swelling.

Atherosclerosis confidently takes the lead among cardiovascular diseases leading to death. The main reasons for this dynamics: a passive lifestyle provokes its development, the disease is difficult to detect in the early stages and cure in the later stages. The main threat among the different types of atherosclerosis is coronary atherosclerosis, which will be discussed below.

The coronary (coronary) artery is the artery that delivers oxygenated blood to the “central” muscle of the heart, the myocardium. The latter is responsible for the rhythmic contractions of the heart, which form the basis of blood circulation and do not stop throughout a person’s life.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease of the arteries, in which cholesterol plaques form in them, blocking the lumen of the artery and interfering with normal blood flow.

Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is a blockage inside the coronary arteries that leads to a lack of oxygen in the tissues of the heart.

Why does the lumen of the artery narrow?

It's all about cholesterol. Its high concentration leads to the formation of plaques from it on the inner walls of the arteries. The walls become narrower, there is less oxygen in important organs, tissues become hypoxic and die.

High cholesterol levels can have several causes. The most obvious is poor nutrition. The more fried potatoes enter the stomach, the more harmful (if in excess) substance enters the blood. Less obvious is poor metabolism, including lipoproteins, which are responsible for removing cholesterol from the body. High-density lipoproteins cope with their task, but similar proteins of low and very low density can themselves be deposited in plaques along with cholesterol.

Plugs initially appear as deposits on the inner walls of blood vessels. Over time, the growths become larger due to the arrival of new portions of “building material” and the appearance of connective tissue in the lesions. This is how coronary sclerosis develops. Subsequently, one of two things happens: either the vessel slowly but surely closes to the point of complete blockage, or the clot ruptures, releasing its contents and immediately blocking the artery.

In the case of slow development of the disease in the coronary vessels, the patient begins to detect IHD (coronary heart disease) in a chronic form. This diagnosis means that the heart does not have enough oxygen, and is accompanied by pain in the heart area, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue. When a blood clot ruptures, acute ischemic heart disease occurs - myocardial infarction. In this case, the oxygen supply to the heart muscle abruptly stops, and the myocardium begins to undergo necrosis or, in other words, die. In this case, the issue of a person’s life is decided in the next few hours or even minutes.

Thus, the narrowing of the lumen of the artery is caused by the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels, leading to their blockage and can be the cause of both serious chronic diseases and sudden death.

Who is predisposed to the disease?

Increased blood cholesterol levels. More cholesterol means more chances for a blood clot.
Sedentary lifestyle. Stagnation of blood in the body helps cholesterol settle on the walls of the arteries.
Obesity. Excess weight puts a strain on the entire body, including the cardiovascular system.
Hypertension. High blood pressure increases the chance of damage to the walls of blood vessels.
Diabetes mellitus. Metabolic disorders can have unpredictable effects on the entire body.
Poor nutrition. Especially dangerous is a large amount of animal fats, cholesterol and salt.
Smoking. It narrows and dilates blood vessels, increasing the load on them, and also spoils the internal structure of arteries and veins.

Those who have several of these factors in their lives should think about their future, since the chance of developing atherosclerosis is quite high for them.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis

All symptoms of insufficient blood circulation in the heart can be divided into two categories: general and ischemic. General are associated with a deterioration in blood flow throughout the body, ischemic are associated specifically with the heart.

General symptoms:

Shortness of breath, poor exercise tolerance. The lungs have to supply more oxygen to the body to make up for the deficiency.
Dizziness. If there is insufficient blood pressure, the brain cannot function normally.
Coldness in hands and feet. Blood does not flow to distant areas of the body in sufficient volume, as a result of which the temperature decreases.
Nausea, vomiting, poor health, clouding of consciousness. Everything that accompanies diseases of the cardiovascular system.

These symptoms are a sure sign that the disease has not yet reached full strength, but is already approaching.

Among the ischemic symptoms, it is worth highlighting the following:

Attacks of angina. Sharp chest pain, usually from behind. It appears during physical activity and is associated with the fact that the heart cannot receive enough oxygen.
Irregular heart rhythm. With a lack of blood, the heart can work “idlely”.
Hypertension. Blockages in the coronary arteries increase blood pressure.
Coronary heart disease in chronic or acute form. As noted above, lack of nutrition for the myocardium can result in a number of problems, including fatal ones.
Cardiophobia. Simply put, it is the fear of death when any heart problem occurs. It is dangerous because any fear increases the flow of testosterone and heart rate, and these changes can aggravate a heart attack or heart attack.

These symptoms indicate that there is a problem and it needs to be addressed urgently. Therefore, if you notice several of these cardiac symptoms or coronary artery disease, the main thing is not to panic and immediately consult a doctor.

Medical diagnosis of the disease

The basis for diagnosing almost any disease, including atherosclerosis, is asking the patient about his health (history) and various tests.

In addition to medical history and tests, cardiac ultrasound and echocardiography are used. An ultrasound picture of the heart makes it possible to assess the extent of the lesion: changes in the internal shape, wall thickness, and the level of contractility of the chambers. Carrying out the procedure during physical activity allows you to see areas that receive less oxygen. 24-hour ECG monitoring is often used, in which a recording device is attached to the body and remains with the person for a long time.

Computed tomography (CT), multislice CT, and electron beam tomography allow us to expand the picture and learn more about the patient’s heart condition. The administration of contrast agents during examinations shows a detailed drawing of arteries, veins and vessels. Based on this information, the doctor can choose the type of treatment.

Intravascular ultrasound, radionuclide studies, treadmill test, scintigraphy and bicycle ergometry are prescribed if it is necessary to clarify the details of the diagnosis.

In general, the diagnosis of coronary atherosclerosis is quite extensive in its methods and depends on the individual patient, his capabilities and the capabilities of the hospital in which he is located.

How to treat coronary arteries?

The first and most important rule in treatment is no self-medication! At best, it will have no effect, and the disease will develop further. At worst, the disease can worsen.

In mild and moderate cases, drug therapy and lifestyle changes are sufficient. The drugs are aimed at two goals: combating further narrowing of the lumen of the vessel and eliminating the consequences of coronary atherosclerosis. The first point is achieved by reducing cholesterol in the blood, the second is achieved by strengthening and protecting the heart muscle.

Improving your lifestyle plays an even more important role here than pills. An adequate diet, moderate exercise under the guidance of a cardiologist, giving up bad habits, treating obesity and other diseases such as diabetes will put the patient on his feet as quickly as medical intervention. And in general there is not a single disease that would be adversely affected by a healthy lifestyle.

In severe cases, if there is no other option, the doctor may prescribe surgery. A common option is the implantation of a stent, which can be used to expand the damaged vessel and ensure normal blood flow. If this is not enough, coronary artery bypass grafting may be required. This method creates a healthy bypass for the blood, bypassing the atherosclerotic vessel.

Regardless of which method the doctor prescribes to the patient, you need to start treatment as soon as possible - take pills, run in the morning or sign up for surgery, because in atherosclerosis, lost time can cost further well-being or even life.

Prognosis for atherosclerosis

If treatment is started in time, the progression of the disease can be stopped. It is almost impossible to completely restore damaged arteries, but with timely measures taken and competent medical intervention, sclerotic plaques will decrease, blood flow will increase and the patient’s condition will improve.

But you need to come to terms with the fact that atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries of the heart is a disease that you have to live with. You can’t take pills for a week, run, eat vegetables and get better. Those who are faced with this disease need to change their lifestyle, adapting it to new conditions, if they do not want to spend the remaining time in hospitals and intensive care units.

Disease prevention

If the reader feels well and does not plan to devote 10-20 years of his life to fighting a serious chronic disease, he should think about his health now. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels of the heart does not manifest itself in any way at an early stage, and it can only be detected upon the appearance of symptoms. That is, it's too late.

Prevention is simple: you need to give up bad habits, play sports or physical labor, eat well, treat diseases in a timely manner and visit a cardiologist for examination every few years. Naturally, following this list is not so easy, but following it will improve the quality of life and greatly prolong it.

As a result, atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is a dangerous chronic disease that manifests itself in late stages and can lead to death if not treated carefully. It affects the central arteries of the heart and is reluctant to be treated, although it can be stopped and even achieve positive dynamics. In order not to find yourself lying in intensive care after a heart attack, you need to consult a doctor in time when symptoms appear, and even better, take care of your health and not get sick at all.

A chronic disease caused by the deposition of lipid clots on the surface of the endothelium is called atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels. The pathology slowly develops, causing ischemic damage to the myocardium, which causes narrowing of the vascular lumen or its complete blockage. In the absence of timely treatment, atherosclerotic changes cause the development of vascular insufficiency, which can cause the death of the patient. It is for this reason that it is necessary to consider in detail the reasons it develops, what signs it has and how it is treated.

Coronary atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that leads to slow hardening and narrowing of the blood vessels of the heart due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the surface of the lining layer of blood vessels - the endothelium. The development of pathology can occur over several decades.

The first signs of vascular damage of atherosclerotic origin usually appear in adolescence, but the pathology begins to progress when people are in middle age. Typically, the first signs of atherosclerosis of the heart arteries begin to appear at the age of 45-55 years.

Atherosclerotic plaques develop due to the accumulation of LDL, which is bad cholesterol.

Fat clots slowly enlarge and protrude into the coronary lumen. Blood flow is disrupted, in some cases it stops completely. This leads to oxygen starvation of the myocardium, disruption of its functions, and the development of ischemic lesions.

This pathology has several stages of development:

At the initial stage, a slowdown in blood flow is observed, and microcracks appear on the vascular endothelium. These changes provoke the slow deposition of fat, which is how the fat spot develops. A decrease in the effect of protective functions leads to increased proliferation of the walls of blood vessels, the growth of fatty spots and their merging into fatty stripes.
at the next stage, lipid formations grow. As a result, atherosclerotic plaques appear on the coronary arteries. This stage is characterized by the development of blood clots, which can break off and block the artery.
at the last stage, the atherosclerotic clot thickens due to the accumulation of calcium salts in them. For this reason, there is a narrowing of the lumen of the artery and its deformation.

Reasons

Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries of the heart can develop under the influence of endogenous and exogenous causes. Experts identify almost 200 different factors that contribute to the development of the disease.

But the most common are:

increased blood cholesterol levels;
smoking;
arterial hypertension;
sedentary lifestyle;
eating foods rich in saturated fats;
hereditary predisposition;
gender – in women, pathology develops 4 times less often than in men;
age;
obesity;
addiction to alcohol;
diabetes mellitus

Diagnostics

Atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels can be detected by performing an electrocardiogram, which can identify signs of cardiac ischemia.

To confirm atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels, it is necessary to conduct a number of studies:

stress scintrigraphy is a method that allows you to determine the localization of fat accumulations on the surface of the vascular walls and their condition;
Ultrasound with Doppler and intravascular ultrasound, allowing to determine changes in the structure of blood vessels, wall thickness, chamber sizes, the presence of sections with contractility disorders, to assess hemodynamics and valve morphology;
Coronography is a study of the heart using X-rays using a contrast agent. The method helps to identify the location, size of the affected areas and the size of the arterial lumen;
Stress echography is a method that allows you to identify transient disturbances in the contractility of the heart muscle in places where blood flow has been disrupted.

Therapy

The treatment of atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels of the heart must be approached comprehensively. It is necessary not only to use the products prescribed by the doctor, but also to follow a diet. To cure this pathology you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

reduce fat intake by 10%. Eliminate butter, lard, and trans fats from the menu. They can be replaced with any vegetable oil;
reduce the consumption of foods containing saturated fatty acids: fatty meat, cream, eggs;
introduce into the diet foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids: fish of any kind, seafood;
eat more fiber-rich foods - fruits and vegetables;
eat less salt.

To treat atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels, drugs belonging to different pharmacological groups are used. Sometimes they are combined.

Statins

Medicines included in this group help suppress the production of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. It is necessary for the production of cholesterol. In addition, it helps to increase the number of membrane receptors that allow the binding and utilization of low-density lipoproteins from the bloodstream. This helps lower cholesterol levels. Statins help restore the elasticity of vascular walls and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

The most popular and effective drugs from the group of statins are:

Provastatin;
Lovastatin;
Simvastatin;
Atorvastatin;
Fluvastatin.

Usually these medications are taken once a day - in the morning or evening. Therapy begins with a minimum dosage, and a month after the start of treatment, the dose is adjusted.

The most common side effects that occur when using statins are myopathy, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Anion exchange resins

The drugs included in this group bind bile acids, which gives the liver the opportunity to synthesize them using cholesterol. Such means include:

Questran;
Colestipol;
Cholestyramine.

The drugs are manufactured in powder form. They are dissolved in water and drunk during meals 2-3 times a day. Already a month after the start of taking the product, the effect of their use becomes noticeable.

The use of these drugs may lead to undesirable effects from the digestive system such as nausea, bloating, diarrhea, constipation. Most often, medications included in this group are prescribed together with statins.

Fibrates

They are prescribed for elevated levels of triglycerides in the blood. They help activate the production of an enzyme that promotes the breakdown of low-density lipoproteins. These include:

Benzafibrate;
Gemfibrozil.

These drugs are taken before meals, twice a day. Their use can cause side effects from the gastrointestinal tract such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Sometimes muscle weakness and dizziness occur.

Folk recipes

Therapy of atherosclerosis of the heart vessels using traditional medicine recipes is a rather lengthy process. To reduce cholesterol concentrations, it is necessary not only to use products prepared from medicinal plants, but also to lead a healthy lifestyle.

To strengthen the walls of blood vessels and reduce the concentration of cholesterol, you need to use:

Garlic. To prepare the medicine you will need to take 5 large heads. Peel and chop thoroughly. Then mix with May honey, taken in the same volume. Leave the resulting mixture for three days in a dark place. You can store the medicine in the refrigerator. For 6 months, take 2 grams daily before meals in the morning and evening.
Lemon. Pour 10 grams of pine needles into two glasses of water and boil over low heat for 5 minutes. When the broth has cooled, strain. Peel two lemons, chop them thoroughly and pour in the cooled broth. Leave for 3 days. Then add 50 grams of May honey and mix well. The drug is taken 50 milliliters per day. The course of treatment is 3 months.
Onion. 50 milliliters of onion juice should be mixed with 20 milliliters of aloe juice and honey, taken in the same amount. The medicine can be stored in the refrigerator and taken a teaspoon once a day at night.

When atherosclerosis is detected quite late and threatens the patient’s life, urgent surgical intervention is required to restore impaired blood circulation. Today, two methods are used: bypass surgery and stenting.

Stenting

A frame is installed into the lumen of the coronary vessel, which expands the area with reduced patency. A stent is a cellular metal tube. It is placed inside the affected vessel, then inflated using a special balloon, pressing into the walls.

The operation is performed using local anesthesia. During the intervention, the patient can freely communicate with the specialist and follow his recommendations. A special catheter is used to insert the stent, guidewire and balloon.

Once the balloon is correctly positioned, the guidewire and catheter are removed. This operation is quite effective, but repeated narrowing of blood vessels is possible in 20% of cases. This occurs due to excessive growth of muscle tissue.

Bypass surgery

If a progressive narrowing of the main artery leading to the heart muscle is detected in a patient, coronary artery bypass surgery is performed. This manipulation restores blood flow through the installation of shunts - special vascular prostheses. Bypass surgery differs from stenting in that it allows you to bypass narrowed areas.

This operation is very serious and lasts 3-4 hours. During this procedure, a heart-lung machine is used. The recovery period is quite long. If the patient does not follow all the recommendations of specialists and stops taking the medication on his own, a relapse is possible.

Complications

When atherosclerotic plaques affect several vessels at once, this can lead to death. In addition, death can be caused by rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque. Most often this happens in the winter in the morning, shortly after waking up. This occurs due to excessive physical activity or severe stress.

This leads to fluctuations in the tone of the coronary artery, increased blood flow, a sharp increase in blood pressure and the frequency of myocardial contractions. In addition, blood clotting is affected.

When the lumen of an artery becomes blocked, death occurs. In 60% of cases, the patient’s death occurs before arrival at the hospital. In case of partial damage to the vessel, unstable angina appears.

The disease can be complicated by myocardial infarction, which has characteristic symptoms:

the appearance of sharp pain in the chest area, radiating to the back;
decreased blood pressure;
dyspnea;
fainting.

In this case, immediate hospitalization and resuscitation measures are required.

Important! Cardiosclerosis is another complication. During its development, myocardial cells are replaced by scar tissue, which ceases to take part in contractions of the heart muscle and leads to excessive stress on the heart.

The following signs indicate the development of atherosclerosis:

General weakness;
Dyspnea;
The appearance of edema;
Pain in the heart, aggravated by physical activity;
Arrhythmia.

Prevention

To prevent vascular atherosclerosis, you need to follow simple recommendations:

eradicate bad habits;
adhere to proper nutrition;
exercise and take walks in the fresh air;
normalize body weight;
promptly treat infectious pathologies.

Only a specialist can make a diagnosis based on the results obtained after diagnostic measures.