ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Healthy arteries are like healthy muscles. They are strong, flexible, and elastic. Atherosclerosis is the condition in which fatty deposits accumulate in and under the lining of the artery walls. The name comes from the Greek word ather, meaning "porridge", because the fatty deposits are soft and resemble porridge. Blood cells (platelets) often clump at microscopic sites of injury to the inner wall of the artery. At these sites, fat deposits also collect. Initially, the deposits are only streaks of fat-containing cells but, as they enlarge, they invade some of the deeper layers of the arterial walls, causing scarring and calcium deposits. Large accumulations called atheromas or plaques are the principal characteristic of atherosclerosis. The greatest danger from these deposits is the narrowing of the channel through which the blood flows. When this occurs, the tissues that the artery supplies will not receive their full quota of blood. Pieces of the fatty deposits may be dislodged, travel with the blood flow, and finally obstruct an artery at some distant point.

Atherosclerosis may be discovered in the course of a routine physical examination. During examination of patient's neck, abdomen, or other parts of the body, the physician may hear a blowing sound if a narrowing of the lining of the arteries at one or more these points causes turbulence of the blood flow. The physician also will estimate the amount of blood flow by feeling for pulsations in the arteries at the wrists, legs, and feet. A decrease in pulsations is a reason to suspect partially obstructed blood flow.

More elaborate tests of circulation using sound waves often help in establishing the presence and degree of decreased blood flow. Ultrasound scan of the abdomen often is used to identify a suspected aneurysm of the aorta in the abdomen. Another test for locating the sites of plaques that narrow blood vessels is arteriography. In many cases, the diagnosis is not suspected until the artery is completely obstructed and the person has experienced a stroke, heart attack, or arterial thrombosis.

To some extent, the body can protect itself from narrowing of a particular artery by developing, with time, additional arterial connections that detour blood around the narrowed point. This is called collateral circulation.

Although atherosclerosis occurs to some extent in all middle-aged and elderly people and even may occur in certain young people, some people appear more at risk because of high blood cholesterol levels.

The best prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis is certain regimen, sound sleep, rest, and proper diet. Vitamins are widely used in the treatment of this disease. Other drugs administered in treating atherosclerosis are so-called lipotropic substances, which prevent fat from accumulating in the organism.