Atherosclerosis - causes and risk factors. Methods for diagnosing vascular atherosclerosis. Menopause and other hormonal changes

The desire for beauty and harmony of the body is commendable, but do not forget that health is a fundamental factor. The full existence of a person is based on both physical and psychological well-being. Based on this, it is worth paying attention to fitness, since this type of technique affects the body at all levels. At the same time, you get beautiful body and reduce the risk of disease.

What is atherosclerosis

Pathology that strikes blood vessels. The essence of the problem is determined by the fact that plaques form inside the arteries, or rather, on their walls. Connections of an oval shape, with an uneven surface significantly narrow the lumen of the vessels. At the same time, they can grow and form sclerosis, that is, connective tissue, which is able to completely block the vessel. In turn, the main sources of atherosclerosis include: chemical compound like cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a fat that is produced both in the human body itself and comes from food. WITH medical point view, fats are called lipids, and proteins. At the same time, protein-fatty compounds are formed in the blood, which are called lipoproteins. In our case, only three of their classes are of interest, which have an increased, low, and maximum reduced density. If the first two types only contribute to the development of the disease, then the latter is able to slow down the process.

Reasons for the risk of atherosclerosis

It can be conditionally divided into three categories.

Initial Factors

1. If you have relatives who have coronary heart disease or they suffer from hypertension, then you have a significantly increased risk of atherosclerosis. In this case, we can say that everything is determined at the genetic level.
2. Gender also influences the development of the disease. This is due to the fact that women, until menopause has come, have some protection, since their body produces hormones such as estrogen. Based on this, the disease is more often manifested in men. Although it should be noted that in some cases the disease progresses in young women. But this fact is more associated with the use of hormonal contraceptives, smoking.
3. Age characteristics are also important. Biggest Risk onset of the disease in men aged 35 to 50 years.
4. Psychological aspects of personality have a significant impact on the risk of atherosclerosis. The greatest predisposition are people who have increased purposefulness. This category of individuals copes with stress quite poorly, which is why they fall into the risk zone.

Accelerating Factors

1. Elevated cholesterol leads to destabilization of the process of lipid metabolism. Cholesterol begins to settle on the walls of blood vessels, which leads to the creation of plaques. Over time, these formations harden as calcium accumulates in them. In this case, plaques protrude into the lumen of the vessel, which leads to the formation of so-called eddies. In turn, this process causes a collision of blood cells, which die and settle on the plaque. As a result, a blood clot forms, which blocks the vessel, which can result in a heart attack.
2. high arterial pressure is one of the most important factors.
3. If you smoke, you should know that nicotine can raise blood cholesterol levels and cause vasospasm.
4. Obesity is also one of the most important factors that lead to pathology. Man suffering from overweight increases the workload on your heart. In addition, the metabolism of fats is upset, and the body is quite difficult to cope with physical exertion.
5. Diabetes breaks down carbohydrate metabolism which, in turn, harms both small and large vessels. Therefore, it is worth checking your blood sugar levels regularly.
6. The harm of hypodynamia is well known, and if it is reinforced by smoking and being overweight, then the occurrence of atherosclerosis is guaranteed.

Provoking factors

Tobacco smoking and stress lead to the fact that the walls of blood vessels get damaged, and cholesterol begins to accumulate in this place, which then reorganizes into dense formations. What contributes to both the occurrence of pathology.

Development of the disease

It includes three stages: ischemic, thrombonecrotic and sclerotic. At the first stage, there is a decrease in blood flow to organs and tissues, and a number of other functional changes. The second stage is a pronounced circulatory disorder, which is accompanied by the formation of blood clots, and necrosis is also possible in places of degeneration. Finally, the third stage is characterized by the appearance of the so-called scar tissue.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis

Often the disease affects the aorta and large trunks that extend from it. If the left and innominate arteries suffer, then the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. At the same time, it appears headache and tinnitus. And it is also noted general weakness and aches in upper limbs. When the plaques disintegrate, the lumen of the branches that depart from the aorta can be blocked. If the formations are localized in iliac arteries, lameness may be noted. When the mesenteric vessels are susceptible to atherosclerosis, pain begins in the upper abdomen. They are different from the pains that occur when peptic ulcer, since they have a shorter time interval.

When damage occurs renal arteries, then this is due to pain in the lower back and abdomen. This continues for several days. In turn, atherosclerosis of the vessels of the legs manifests itself in pain that occurs when walking. Often hurt calf muscles and feet. In addition, chilliness may be felt, and on late stages ulcers may appear in the area of ​​​​the heels, toes and lower leg.

Treatment of atherosclerosis

The process includes a diet, certain physical exercise and medicines. If cholesterol is elevated, then a special diet is almost always provided. Along with this, you need to use multivitamins with antioxidants, and also with excess weight, you should use drugs that normalize fat metabolism.

If the diet could not lead to a decrease in cholesterol, then you should start using medications. When there are no contraindications, then at the first stage statins are taken. In the case of a high level of triglycerides, it is better to start therapy with fibrates. The duration of treatment with medication is dependent on lipid metabolism. With a task that is determined in achieving stabilization of atherosclerosis, drug treatment is carried out for about two months, and then there is a return to the diet. It is also worth noting that methods for purifying the blood have proven themselves well.

Preparations

Treatment involves a long process of using medications. Therefore, it is necessary to be extremely careful about drugs that are anti-atherosclerotic. There is quite a large number of classes of drugs related to the treatment of atherosclerosis.

The most active group includes statins, which, in essence, are antibiotics. Since cholesterol not only comes from food, but is also produced directly in the human body, in the liver, these drugs block the formation of cholesterol.

fluvastatin

Refers to synthetic drugs groups. Has less side effects compared to other statins. The result of the application is noticeable after seven days of taking it. On this moment is the best in the group.

Fenofibrate

Refers to the most effective drugs groups. Good for lowering uric acid.

Clofibrate

Affects the synthesis of triglycerides, which form extremely low density lipoproteins. negative quality is a large number of side effects.

Bezafibrate

Relatively poorly reduces total cholesterol, but at the same time quite well increases the number of lipoproteins with a significant density.

Gemfibrozil

This drug is effective for high triglyceride levels. Maximum effect achieved if this drug is taken long enough.

Ciprofibrate

Side effects are minimal, but otherwise similar to other drugs in the group.

In addition, for the treatment a nicotinic acid, as well as its derivatives. The action is determined by the fact that the process of converting fats in the body is accelerated. This condition leads to a decrease in their concentration in the blood. Bile acid sequestrants such as colestipol and cholestyramine are also used. These drugs slow down the process of absorption of bile acids, which leads to a decrease in cholesterol.

Pravastin

Slightly worse effect on cholesterol increased density compared to lovastine. Although the mechanism of action is almost identical.

Simvastin

Is different quick effect. So, after two weeks you can get a reduction total cholesterol by ten percent. Simvastin is well tolerated by patients.

Lovastatin

Reduces and raises total cholesterol, which has high density. Long term use the drug effectively reduces the number of plaques in the vessels of the heart.

Treatment with folk remedies

It is always necessary to use non-standard approaches of healing with caution and care. Therefore, the following tips are for guidance only.

Often, hypertension causes atherosclerosis. In this case, you can use a remedy such as garlic. It should be crushed and placed in a jar. Then vegetable oil is added and the resulting mixture is infused for a day. Then you need to add the juice of one lemon and continue to insist for another week. Taken at least three times a day, one tablespoon.

Rosehip helps with many diseases. And such a disease as atherosclerosis is no exception. Preparation of infusion on rose hips is carried out using glass containers. Nuts are placed in a bottle or jar and filled with water, and then you need to put the container in a dark place for two weeks. The only thing that should not be forgotten during the entire period is to shake the composition daily. Take twenty drops. To do this, use a piece of sugar.

For headaches and tinnitus, use herbal treatment, in particular, lemon balm is ideal. To do this, pour one tablespoon of this plant with boiling water and drink. About four times a day will be enough.

Prevention of atherosclerosis

Much attention is paid proper nutrition physical exercise and the ability to avoid stressful situations.

Obesity is your enemy, so stick to a low-calorie diet to avoid problems in the future. In turn, stress leads to vasospasm, which also has a bad effect on the system. Try to maintain a fair amount of optimism in yourself, and you can protect yourself from atherosclerosis. normal pressure should be around 140/90. At the same time, its control is a fundamental factor in the prevention of this disease. To avoid plaque on the walls of your blood vessels, lead active image life and do not neglect exercise. If you smoke, then get rid of this habit, as it acts as the main culprit in the occurrence of atherosclerosis.

Nutrition

The principle of the diet is a low calorie content. Based on this, it is necessary to significantly reduce the consumption of animal fats and, in particular, fatty meats. If you eat chicken, then we must first remove the skin from it. And also you can not use the internal organs of animals for food. In addition, it is worth eliminating dairy products from your diet, which have a high fat content. Concerning vegetable oils, then they can be used, but in reasonable quantities. Flour coarse grinding is an excellent product for this type of diet, since the fibers found in the grain have the quality of binding cholesterol and removing it from the body. good option the use of products of marine origin, such as squid, mussels, etc., is considered.

If the diet is aimed at cardiological patients, then it is necessary to reduce the amount of salt consumed and add foods that have great content potassium (dill, green onion, black currant, bananas). It is also important to reduce sugar intake, flour products and egg yolks. It is advisable to include cereals based on corn and oats in the diet. Vegetables and soy products are perfectly acceptable. Almost all fruits can be consumed with the exception of grapes. In this case, food should be taken five or six times a day. Apples should be present in the daily diet.

Sad statistics show that the main risk factors for atherosclerosis are not quality medical care population, and wrong image life. Of course, this disease can be triggered by genetics. However, as medical practice shows, those who smoke, eat unhealthy food and are overweight are mainly at risk of atherosclerosis.

What are the invariable risk factors for atherosclerosis?

All risk factors for atherosclerosis are divided into two main groups - unchangeable and changeable.

What are non-modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis that cannot be medically controlled?

These include:

• age;
• heredity.

Age. The older the person, the higher the risk factor for atherosclerosis. Quite often, this disease is considered as one of the manifestations of the aging process of the body, since atherosclerotic plaques appear in all elderly people. The risk of developing atherosclerosis increases after age 50.

Floor. As already noted, in men, the risk factor for atherosclerosis is increased in comparison with women. In addition, the disease begins to develop in representatives of the strong half of humanity 10 years earlier than in women.

Heredity is the most common cause of early (before the age of 45 years) onset of atherosclerosis. However, in people over 50 years of age, genetic predisposition does not play a special role in the occurrence of the disease.

Modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis: smoking, diabetes and others

Changeable causes are those that can be eliminated through changes in a person's lifestyle or in the process of treatment.

These include:

• arterial hypertension;
• smoking;
• violation of fat metabolism;
• malnutrition;
• sedentary image life;
• infectious diseases.

Arterial hypertension This is the so-called independent factor in the development of atherosclerosis. Against the background of an increase in pressure, the walls of the arteries are saturated with fats, and this, as already noted, is initial stage occurrence atherosclerotic plaques.

Smoking is a risk factor for atherosclerosis, which doctors call one of the most insidious. First, it increases the risk of many diseases of the cardiovascular system. Secondly, at people who smoke the disease develops much faster than in non-smokers.

Smokers are 3 times more likely than non-smokers to suffer from atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease and hyperlipidemia.

Obesity- one of the most common factors in the development of atherosclerosis. Typically, people with overweight The first symptoms of the disease appear before the age of 45.

Diabetes increases the risk of atherosclerosis by 4-7 times. With this disease, a violation of fat metabolism occurs, which causes the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques.

Fat metabolism disorder, or dyslipidemia, - the main factor in the development of atherosclerosis. It is worth noting that most of the causes arise precisely because of dyslipidemia, that is, as a result of a violation of fat metabolism. The development of the disease is affected increased content in the blood of cholesterol, as well as atherogenic lipoproteins and triglycerides. And one of the main causes of dyslipidemia, and hence atherosclerosis, is an increase in the amount of cholesterol in the blood. plays significant role in the human body.

It's complicated organic compound, a representative of the class of fats, performs a number of important functions:

• structural- is one of the main components included in the structure cell membranes. Due to cholesterol, cell membranes gain elasticity and stability;
• digestive- Cholesterol is synthesized in the liver bile acids;
• hormonal- on the basis of cholesterol, the synthesis of hormones of the adrenal cortex and sex hormones is carried out.

It is important that the amount of cholesterol in a person's blood is always at an optimal level. An increase in the content of this compound is fraught with the development of a number of diseases, including atherosclerosis.

Cholesterol enters the human body in two ways: with animal products and as a result of internal synthesis. In the first case, the compound enters the intestine, where the process of its absorption takes place, after which, together with chylomicrons, it is distributed to those organs that need cholesterol for normal growth and synthesis of various chemical elements.

The greatest amount of cholesterol is absorbed by the liver, which requires the compound for the synthesis of bile acids. Internal synthesis of cholesterol occurs when the body is deficient in cholesterol and cannot get it from food. Then the substance is formed from the decay products of fats. Incidentally, the use fatty foods enhances its production. Completely healthy person the processes of accumulation and excretion of cholesterol are normal. As already noted, people with high levels of this compound often develop dyslipidemia, and hence atherosclerosis.

Wrong nutrition. This factor leads to an increase in cholesterol levels, a violation of fat metabolism, resulting in the development of atherosclerosis.

Sedentary lifestyle, or physical inactivity, leads to obesity, arterial hypertension, diabetes and hence to atherosclerosis. In general, a decrease in motor activity is one of the main factors in the violation of the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.

infections. More recently, a theory has emerged in medical circles about infectious nature atherosclerosis. According to studies, the factors of occurrence and rapid development This disease can be chlamydial and cytomegalovirus infections.

Test for those at risk for atherosclerosis development factors

To assess the risk of developing atherosclerosis, it is recommended to pass a simple test. Each “yes” answer counts as one point.

Test.

1. You are a man over 45 years old.

2. You are a woman over 50 years old.

3. One of your close relatives (father, mother, grandmother, grandfather) suffers (suffered) from atherosclerosis.

4. You are overweight.

5. You lead a sedentary lifestyle.

6. You've been stressed for months or longer.

7. You drink alcohol twice a week or more.

8. You smoke.

9. You eat foods high in cholesterol every day.

10. You eat fatty foods several times a week.

11. Your blood pressure rises periodically.

12. You suffer from hypertension.

13. You suffer from insomnia.

14. You often suffer from infectious diseases.

15. You have diabetes.

16. When walking, running for short distances, your legs get tired.

17. You suffer from pain in your legs, especially after physical exertion.

18. Certain weather conditions cause your blood pressure to rise.

19. You eat at catering establishments more often than at home. Sometimes you snack on the go.

20. Your work and leisure schedule is far from perfect (you often work without days off and holidays, sleep little, think about work all the time, etc.).

Grade.

To evaluate the results of the atherosclerosis risk factor test, sum all yes answers.

0 points- there is no risk of developing atherosclerosis in the next few years.

1-2 points- average risk of developing atherosclerosis. In the next 10 years it is 10-15%.

3-5 points- high risk of developing atherosclerosis, as well as heart disease (in the next 10 years is 15-30%).

Over 5 points- the risk of developing atherosclerosis is extremely high.

Perhaps the disease is already progressing. It is urgent to consult a doctor and undergo a medical examination.

Methods for diagnosing vascular atherosclerosis

Diagnosis of vascular atherosclerosis is always difficult, since the symptoms of this disease are similar to those of a number of other diseases, as well as manifestations of aging. In addition, atherosclerosis in most cases develops against the background of various ailments, accompanies them or is the result of their flow.

Diagnosis is easy in old age, because this pathology observed in almost all older people. However, it is necessary to establish the exact characteristics of the disease of a particular patient: to determine the complexity of the pathology, the exact location of atherosclerotic plaques, possible complications, the presence of other diseases.

To diagnose atherosclerosis, the patient will need to undergo a complete medical examination.

In each case, the attending physician independently decides which examination the patient should undergo to clarify the diagnosis.

General diagnostics:

• general examination of the patient;
• identification of risk factors and ways to eliminate them;
• instrumental and laboratory research, allowing to diagnose the disease, determine the location of atherosclerotic plaques, assess the condition internal organs. Additional diagnostics:
• determination of lipid metabolism disorders, including the determination of the exact level of cholesterol in the blood;
• x-ray examination for suspected atherosclerosis of the aorta;
• Ultrasound of vessels to detect the localization of atherosclerotic plaques, as well as the presence (absence) of blood clots.

One of the methods for diagnosing atherosclerosis is biochemical analysis blood. Indicators of atherosclerosis are elevated cholinesterase (ChE), triglycerides (TG), and cholesterol. Normal ChE - 5300-12900 units / l, total cholesterol - 3-6 mmol / l.

Normal performance LDL cholesterol and HDL and TG are indicated in the tables.

Normal levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol (mmol / l):

Normal TG values ​​​​(mmol / l) depending on age:

Age (years)	Men	Women
60-65 65 and older	0,65-3,29; 0,62-2,94	0,63-2,7; 0,68-2,71

Another method for diagnosing atherosclerosis is ultrasound of the vessels, or Dopplerography, which is prescribed to determine the state of blood flow in the veins and arteries.

Prevention of atherosclerosis is aimed primarily at eliminating modifiable factors, if any. Must be abandoned bad habits and consumption of fatty foods. In addition, one should increase motor activity and avoid stressful situations as much as possible.

It is advisable to periodically undergo an examination, controlling the level of lipids and cholesterol in the blood.

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