Introduction
Atherosclerosis can be defined as the build up of plaque in the inner part of the arterial walls. Plaque is made of a variety of substances that clog the lining of an artery. This includes deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products and calcium. As arteries carry oxygenated blood to the heart, the narrowing of these vessels can lead to a decrease in blood to the heart, which can cause numerous problems and can be fatal.
Eventually plaques will grow large enough to be able to obstruct the flow of blood through a vessel; however the damage is caused when the plague breaks away forming clots or Thrombi in various different positions in a vessel. A thrombosis is simply the formation of a clot inside a blood vessel that obstructs its flow. Problems for these clots depend on their location. If they are present in the coronary artery of the heart, this decrease in blood flow could lead to a heart attack which is medically termed a Myocardial Infarction or MI. A myocardial infarction occurs when there is a prolonged decrease of oxygen (Ischemia) that will eventually lead to tissue death. Infarction refers to necrosis or death of myocardial cells. Atherosclerotic heart disease is the most common cause of MI.
Peripheral emboli are the name given to describe objects that migrate from one part of the body and cause a blockage or occlusion elsewhere. If the obstruction occurs in an artery that supplies oxygen and blood to the brain, it could cause a stroke. Gangrene is often a complication that is common when there is blocked blood flow to the body’s extremities, the hand and legs.
Atherosclerosis can affect any artery anywhere in the body therefore a number of different complications could arise, depending on the position of the artery affected.
Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries in the heart is the leading cause of death in the United States. Atherosclerotic blocks to other parts of the body causing stroke and other diseases is the third most common cause of death after cancer.