Plaques in the vessels of the brain, symptoms and treatment. Cerebral atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels- it is steadily progressing systemic lesion vessels located in the corresponding organ. In medicine you can find other definitions of this disease, for example, cerebral type atherosclerosis or atherosclerotic lesion cerebral vessels, but the essence remains the same. Work of the central nervous system is violated, which gradually leads to irreversible consequences.

The etiopathogenetic mechanism for the development of cerebral atherosclerosis is associated with disturbances in protein-lipid metabolism, with damage to the intima of brain vessels by their decay products and directly by the fatty complexes themselves, with the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

According to statistics, in the vessels of the brain, atherosclerosis most often affects the arteries of the subcortical ganglia, the arteries of the thalamus and the pons. In most cases, formations are formed as fibrous plaques; lipoidosis is less common.

Men are more affected than women. In them, serious atherosclerotic changes begin to affect the vessels of the brain 10 years earlier. However, at older ages (after 55 years and older), both women and men suffer approximately equally from this cerebral vascular pathology. Statistics inexorably indicate that in last years everything is celebrated larger number sick people young barely 30 years old.

In addition, certain atherosclerotic lesions of the cerebral vessels are most often observed in people who suffer from.

Symptoms of cerebral atherosclerosis

Among obvious signs, indicating the development pathological lesion cerebral vessels, we can distinguish:

A marked decrease in memory, which manifests itself in forgetting events that occurred in the recent past. At first, memory impairments make themselves felt episodically, they are especially noticeable only after mental and physical fatigue. As atherosclerosis progresses, the gaps become more noticeable, but memory of past events remains for a long time.

In turn, more invasive method treatment of atherosclerosis is surgical removal plaque from the arterial lumen, the so-called. A fairly commonly used method is bypass, that is, vascular bridges that bypass the narrowed part of the vessel.

Can you cure atherosclerosis in your own capacity?

Unfortunately, atherosclerosis cannot be cured in your area, but it can be effectively prevented by active image life. Exercise causes the blood to circulate faster, flushing cholesterol deposits from your arteries. In addition to controlling the level of bad cholesterol in your blood, you can keep it within normal limits. The next step is to reduce your consumption of animal fats, smoke cigarettes or give them up completely.

Decline mental performance, which manifests itself in the form of rapid fatigue. The patient is unable to focus his attention on a specific object for a long time, or concentrate his own thoughts.

Emotional lability is another common symptom atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. At the same time, a person’s mood is characterized by instability and variability. That is, even minor events lead to the appearance of a brightly colored emotional reaction. Most often, such people are tearful, prone to increased anxiety, they often have fears for their own health and lack confidence in their own abilities.

Atherogenic diets should include as many fruits and vegetables as possible, as well as whole grains that contain plenty of fiber. This ingredient It regulates the level of bad cholesterol, so it is also recommended to reduce in the diet bad cholesterol. The content of the site is purely informational. This means that they do not replace the user's contact with a doctor, whom he should contact in case of illness.

Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a chronic civilization disease that leads to prolonged or acute ischemia many organs. Atherosclerosis can occur in some people in childhood, and it gradually increases with age. Atherosclerosis involves damage to the arterial wall, causing it to harden and gradually narrow until it closes completely. Atherosclerosis is sometimes called "coronary artery disease."

Patients often complain about regular...

Constant companions of this type of cerebrovascular disease are frequent. They differ in that they arise during the period when a person changes his position from horizontal to vertical. That is, to put it simply, he gets out of bed, and not even with a jerk, but rather slowly.

Atherosclerosis is still a medical mystery and its causes have not been fully known. Atherosclerosis is caused by complex processes, depending on many factors. Most important factors include genetic factors, gender, age, smoking, dyslipidemia. IN Lately attention has been drawn to contamination by certain microorganisms that may be partly responsible for the formation or exacerbation of chronic inflammatory degenerative disease such as atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis most often affects organs such as: cardiovascular ischemic heart disease, lower extremities, brain stroke. Does atherosclerosis also affect you? Read about the symptoms of a disease in the soil that is atherosclerosis. Do you have any risk factors? Be sure to perform preventive and periodic medical examinations.

As the disease progresses, pronounced changes in a person’s personality can be observed, his behavior changes, and mental disorders are not uncommon.

Epilepsy is another one clear symptom progressive cerebral atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, observed in older people. Expressed in the occurrence of convulsive seizures.

Currently, atherosclerosis still remains incurable disease, chronic and progressive. It is important to prevent the development of atherosclerosis through proper diet, exercise, smoking and so-called treatment. risk factors. However, if atherosclerosis develops, these actions should be intensified, as well as appropriate treatment, at least slowing atherosclerosis and organ transplantation.

Coronary angioplasty and bypass. However, it should be emphasized that these treatments do not cure the disease permanently, but it does alleviate its course and associated diseases. Discontinuation of pharmacological and preventive treatment will reduce the effect of treatment and will not slow down the progression of the disease.

Senesthopathy, as symptoms of cerebral atherosclerosis, manifests itself in the fact that a person complains of tingling in the face, numbness of the legs, and heat in the occipital region.

Cheyne-Stokes breathing or periodic breathing, which is characterized certain cycles: shallow inhalations and exhalations are replaced by deep ones, after the seventh inhalation, breathing becomes rare again, then there is a pause and the cycle repeats. Most often, such breathing is observed when the arteries that supply the medulla oblongata are damaged by atherosclerosis.

Ataxia is more often observed with damage to the arteries supplying the cerebellum or vestibular apparatus. It is expressed in incoordination of movements of various muscles, loss of balance when walking and standing, inaccuracy and awkwardness of movements, while the strength of the limbs is not lost.

In addition, patients exhibit speech, auditory and visual impairments, as well as transient paralysis, to varying degrees.

It is often difficult for the patient to tolerate loud sounds, and an irritable reaction to light may occur.

It is advisable to divide the symptoms of cerebral atherosclerosis into several periods for a clearer understanding of the progression of the disease:

The first stage is characterized by pseudoneurasthenic manifestations with periodic headaches, tinnitus, sleep disorders, intolerance to bright light, loud sound, decreased performance and other manifestations of a similar nature.

The second stage of the disease is marked by more pronounced clinical manifestations, with the development of depression, anxiety-delusional symptoms, and confusion.

The third stage is characterized by the development of dementia with severe memory impairment. Dementia develops against the background organic lesions brain atherosclerosis. The person becomes helpless, disorientation in time may occur, however, generally accepted norms of behavior remain intact long time.

An important symptom that both patients and their relatives with cerebral atherosclerosis should be aware of is brain or. It is accompanied by headaches, which are quite intense; there may be weakness in one upper or lower limb. Often a crisis is accompanied by visual and speech disturbances. As a rule, it lasts up to 2 days, and then the patient’s condition stabilizes. If the symptoms do not go away after this period of time, then it makes sense to assume that these manifestations are signs.

After a crisis, the patient is complacent, may be in a euphoric state, while all interests are reduced to everyday issues, and normal performance is lost.

The factors leading to the development of atherosclerosis, localized in the vessels of the brain, are identical to the risks that form atherosclerosis of any blood tract. It is important to remember that any atherosclerotic plaque can develop over several decades.

Influence rapid progression pathological process can:

Smoking. World organization health care claims that it is precisely the entry into the body tobacco smoke becomes a factor provoking the development of cerebral atherosclerosis. Its action is multifactorial, but most dangerous effect is considered to be a narrowing of the arteries of the brain and a gradual loss of their elasticity.

High blood pressure. If arterial hypertension remains for a long time without proper therapeutic influence, this leads to thickening and narrowing blood vessels brain, resulting in an increased risk of atherosclerotic plaque formation and stroke.

Diabetes. As the disease develops, there is a disruption in the body’s processing of not only glucose, but also lipids, which ultimately have an impact harmful influence on the vessels of the brain. In addition, it leads to an increase blood pressure. In combination with existing arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus increases the risk of developing pathological vascular damage by 4 times.

Obesity. In people with overweight body, as a result of disturbances in the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates, there is a stable increase in cholesterol in the blood, which is a powerful factor provoking the development of atherosclerosis. Moreover, the problem overweight relevant on this moment According to statistics, about 25% of the Russian population suffers from obesity. Moreover, these people are of working age.

High blood cholesterol. Regardless of what leads to an increase in its amount, the risk of developing cerebral atherosclerosis increases several times. The danger especially increases against the background of a stable higher level LDL.

To belong to male or gender reason. It is at the age of 60 that men have a high chance of being diagnosed with cerebral atherosclerosis. Although after a woman passes menopause, the chances of suffering from cerebral atherosclerosis are equal. This is due to the fact that the level of estrogen, which inhibits the development of atherosclerosis in female body, after menopause decreases significantly.

Heredity. If the family had relatives who early age suffered from cerebral atherosclerosis, then the risk similar pathology increases significantly.

Power with high content saturated fat negatively affects the condition of blood vessels, including the brain. This, first of all, leads to an increase in cholesterol levels and the rapid growth of atherosclerotic plaques. In addition, if there is hereditary predisposition, a high-fat diet can provoke an increased effect of existing genes responsible for increasing levels. As a result, its synthesis will acquire an anomalous character.

Minimum physical activity or physical inactivity– one of the most powerful factors in the progression of cerebral atherosclerosis. Any exercise: walking, running, swimming – accelerates the removal of HDL from the body and helps prevent the disease.

Age is a factor that provokes the development of pathology, which cannot be excluded. The first fatty spots on blood vessels are detected at the age of 10 years, and they become most pronounced on average by the age of 50. This is due both to the action of other provoking causes and to the slowdown in metabolic processes of fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins in the body. Malfunctions also have an impact, endocrine gland, liver, multiple past infections etc.

Stress and bad habits in general, are the cause of many diseases, and cerebral atherosclerosis is no exception.

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In order to determine the presence of a lesion, visits to several specialists are often required. After all, in addition to often neurological disorders The patient complains of hearing and vision disorders. Moreover, it is often clinical symptoms are not observed at all, or the person does not attach due importance to them, and the first serious reason For complex diagnostics becomes in best case scenario cerebral crisis, or at worst, stroke.

If cerebral atherosclerosis is suspected, the patient should be redirected from any specialist to a neurologist. Further clarification of the diagnosis and the necessary studies for this purpose are prescribed by them. In the diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease, ultrasound-based methods currently predominate.

So that it is put accurate diagnosis, the patient may be referred to:

Duplex scanning. First of all, this study provides information about the state of the extracranial arteries, feeding the brain. In combination with ultrasound examination cranial arteries, doctors get quite full picture having atherosclerosis. This kind of study allows you to assess the degree of narrowing of the vessel, determine the nature of the existing atherosclerotic plaque.

Transcranial Dopplerography- a study that allows you to assess the condition of intracranial vessels.

Angiographic examination cerebral vessels. This is one of the types of x-ray methods. It is known that vessels are not visible on X-ray, so angiographic examination involves the introduction contrast agent intravenously. However, due to the high morbidity, this method can only be carried out according to strict indications.

Method computed tomography used primarily in patients who have had a stroke. It is necessary to clarify the affected area and determine tactics further treatment cerebral atherosclerosis.

Additionally, an immunological test will be required. blood test and cholesterol level detection.

Magnetic resonance therapy also used to study the state of cerebral vessels and gives the most exact information about existing atherosclerotic plaques. However, not every clinic has a tomograph at its disposal, so this research method is not as popular as studies performed using ultrasound.

If, according to the results of the studies, the neurologist sees that the vasoconstriction exceeds 50%, then the patient mandatory sent for consultation and possible further examination to a vascular surgeon. He re-evaluates the condition of the admitted patient and subsequently makes a decision on the cost-effectiveness of surgery.

Treatment of cerebral atherosclerosis

Therapy for this pathology is a long and, most often, lifelong process. This problem is solved by a neurologist whose responsibilities include identifying people with similar problems, assessing the severity of the disease and implementing conservative therapy. First of all, it is designed to improve blood supply to the brain and prevent arterial thrombosis.

Regarding therapy with medicines, That modern scheme the impact comes down to:

Antiplatelet therapy, which is aimed at reducing the risk ischemic stroke. Drugs used for this purpose: acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel. However, a hemostasis study is first necessary.

For improvement nervous regulation the work of the endocrine gland, sedatives or, on the contrary, tonics are used. This may be thyroidin, as well as small doses of estrogens.

In parallel, drugs are used to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. These can be statins (preventing the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver, reducing LDL and increasing HDL) - lovastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, as well as fibrates (lowering cholesterol and triglycerides) - gemfibrozil, fenofibrate, clofibrate. In addition, anion exchange resins or sequestrants are prescribed bile acids, promoting the removal of cholesterol, examples of these drugs: hestyramine, colestipol. Reduce the absorption of cholesterol into small intestine Ezetimibe, atromide, miscleron, etc. will help.

Iodine preparations and diosponin will help reduce cerebral ischemic disorders. In addition, calcium iodine, potassium iodide or iodine solution can be prescribed for the same purpose. The drugs are taken in courses to eliminate iodism.

To solve a therapeutic rather than a prophylactic problem, they use high doses ascorbic acid, as well as B vitamins (B2, B6), significantly exceeding the daily requirement.

Besides, in complex therapy patients are prescribed medications aimed at preventing the development of circulatory disorders. These can be coronary lytics, as well as agents that dilate arteries and anticoagulants in case of a threat of blood clots.

When hemodynamically significant stenoses, either complete arterial occlusion or unstable plaques, are detected, vascular surgeon makes a decision on what is necessary surgical intervention. Modern medicine has reached significant heights regarding the conduct recovery operations on blood vessels, including the brain.

Currently available the following types surgical effects:

Endarterectomy. Based on the fact that fat growth is eliminated open method. To do this, a skin incision is made to gain access to the blocked vessel. After this, the surgeon stops the blood flow in this place, the wall bloodstream dissects quickly and body fat cleaned up. After such manipulations, the surgeon can only sew up the damaged area with a vascular suture. In this way, plaques on extracranial vessels can be removed.

Stents and balloons. To eliminate atherosclerotic formation on intracranial vessels, stents and balloons are used. That is, endoscopic removal of the atherosclerotic plaque is necessary. To do this, an endoscope with a stent is inserted into the widest vessel, and then, under constant X-ray monitoring, it is advanced to the place where there is narrowing of the artery due to the presence of plaque. It is there that a stent is installed, which, by increasing the lumen of the vessel, restores the flow of blood through it.

It is worth understanding that cerebral atherosclerosis is classified as chronic diseases, so treatment is most often lifelong. Depending on how timely the diagnosis was made and treatment started, the prognosis will depend. In the practice of neurologists, extensive forms of cerebral atherosclerosis are known, which, nevertheless, allowed people not only to live for a long time, but also to remain functional. However, there are often cases when the first clinical manifestation this disease ends with a stroke and lethal outcome for a person. The poet is so important role doctors separate timely diagnosis disease and its qualified treatment.

Neurologist M.M. Shperling in the lecture “How to treat cerebral atherosclerosis?”

Diet for cerebral atherosclerosis

It is impossible to get rid of cerebral vascular pathology or prevent attacks of exacerbation of the disease without compliance a certain regime nutrition. As a dietary option, doctors recommend a series of tables designed to meet the basic needs of the sick person.

However, each of them is based on several principles:

For patients who are overweight and for those whose body weight is not below normal, it is worth reducing the caloric content of food consumed per day. The reduction should be 10 to 15% of total calories.

Reduction, even complete exclusion from the diet of foods containing animal fats and large amounts of cholesterol. First of all, we are talking about egg yolks, caviar, brains, fatty meat and fish.

Reducing the volume of products containing large volumes.

Limiting the amount of salt consumed.

Avoid rich broths and fish soup.

Consumption of foods that are rich in lipotropic substances. It can be cottage cheese, herring (but only thoroughly soaked), oatmeal, cod.

Use in the menu vegetable oils, not only sunflower, but also corn, flax, cotton.

Eating large amounts of unprocessed fruits and vegetables.

Introduction fasting days, especially if there is excess weight. These can be kefir, cottage cheese, apple, oatmeal and other types of mini-diets for one day.

Don't forget about proteins, they are in daily menu should be no less than 30 g. Sources can be: fish, eggs, meat, dairy products with a low fat content.

In particular, for the treatment of cerebral vascular pathology of an atherosclerotic nature, it may be suitable therapeutic diet number 10. Its goal is to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood and improve blood circulation. Its peculiarity is that the patient is asked to limit the amount of fluid consumed to 1.5 liters per day. We are talking not only about tea or coffee, but also about water. Maximum amount kilocalories per day should not be more than 2500, and if a sick person is obese, this figure decreases by 700 kcal. At the same time, the products are not salted during cooking; they cannot be fried. Meals are divided into six approaches.

With atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels, the diet will have to be followed for a long time, perhaps even throughout life. Therefore, you should get used to consuming foods such as oatmeal, cabbage, garlic, and cottage cheese. A properly designed nutritional plan can not only alleviate the patient’s condition, but also serve as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent.

Prevention of cerebral atherosclerosis

Preventive measures for this disease should be not only primary, but also secondary. This is due to the fact that similar pathology tends to flow in waves, active phases go into the process of regression and back. Therefore, it is so important, through prevention, not only to prevent the disease itself, but also to stop its progression. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the patient does not experience possible complications this pathology.

It is worth noting that primary prevention should be widespread. In this regard, the following measures are effective:

Activities aimed at environmental protection;

Reducing noise levels in cities and enterprises;

Providing workers with adequate conditions for rest, shortening the work week;

Health education work from adolescence;

Propaganda healthy image life and activities physical culture(at the same time, the person must be aware of the harm caused by physical inactivity);

Compliance with work and rest schedules;

Full sleep;

Stay in preventive health institutions;

Compliance with the diet and its variety;

Exception bad habits and, first of all, smoking.

In addition, it is necessary to promptly treat diseases that ultimately lead to the development of cerebral atherosclerosis. First of all, we are talking about pathologies thyroid gland– about hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus. It is equally important to normalize metabolic processes, occurring in the body, as slow metabolism leads to excess weight.

Those people who have relatives in their family with early development atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, it is necessary to more carefully monitor own food, limit your consumption of animal fats. When diagnosing lipid metabolism disorders, it is necessary to take iodine preparations for preventive purposes.

Instrumental examination of blood vessels after the age of 40 years is excellent tool prevention and early detection atherosclerotic changes in cerebral vessels.

Concerning secondary prevention, then first of all it is aimed at preventing the progression of the disease. It includes all measures from primary prevention, as well as adherence to a dietary diet, use drug treatment. We must not forget about the important role assigned to adequate physical exercise and physical therapy.

It is important to remember that, despite the development modern medicine, cerebral atherosclerosis is a serious problem leading to high mortality among the population. Therefore, the disease is much easier, if not completely prevented, then significantly delayed its development with the help of preventive measures.