PATIENT
PHYSICIANS
Atherosclerosis — is a widespread progressing condition, in which plaque builds up inside the arteries and may partially or totally block the blood’s flow through an artery in the heart, brain, legs, arms or kidneys. Plaque is made of cholesterol (Low Density Lipoproteins LDL, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin a clotting material in the blood.
Some of the diseases that may develop as a result of atherosclerosis include coronary heart disease, angina (chest pain), carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease (PAD) and chronic kidney disease.
In PAD a blood clot forms and blocks the leg artery, stopping the flow of blood and oxygen supply to the leg muscle. This causes pain on walking and poor wound healing. Severe disease may lead to amputations.
Atherosclerosis progression is based on certain factors some of which are preventable and others are not.
Age
Most often Atherosclerosis starts in men after 45 and women after 55 years old
Hereditary disease
Family history of Atherosclerosis or Hyperlipidemia or heart disease, stroke or PAD, sudden early death from heart attack of parents — men 55 years old or younger, or women 65 years old or younger.
Sex
Men are more prone to an early Atherosclerosis development.
Life style
Smoking, eating habits (high fat diet ), hypodynamia (lack of physical activity and exercises), poorly controlled stress and anger and low stress tolerance.
Arterial Hypertension
High Blood Pressure increases the risk of heart attack stroke and death in 2-4 times in average.
Diabetes
Diabetes an additional risk factor in PAD – it is found that probability of amputation increases up to 10 times.
High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterinemia)
Normal level of Cholesterol in blood should not be above 150-200mg/dL, High Cholesterol is an additional risk factor in PAD
Abdominal Obesity
The risk of atherosclerosis increases if the waist circumference in men greater than 102 cm and for women — 88 cm.
Avoid smoking, including passive. Smoking is 4-6 times increased risk of obstructive vascular disease of the lower extremities and 2 times the risk of acute stroke. Smoking can lead to disease progression, while the smoking renunciation promotes stabilization. Maintain normal level of blood pressure. Gradually adjust the high blood pressure can be done using drugs (only by prescription!), and (or) by a change in lifestyle. For example, compliance with the diet (restricted salt intake), weight loss (if you are overweight).
Lifestyle changes: Reducing the lifestyle risk factors that lead to atherosclerosis will slow or stop the process. That means a healthy diet, exercise, and no smoking. These lifestyle changes won’t remove blockages, but they’re proven to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Medication: Taking drugs for high cholesterol and high blood pressure will slow and perhaps even halt the progression of atherosclerosis, as well as lower your risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Exercise. Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, fight stress and to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels. At lower limb ischemia or cardiovascular diseases strenuous exercise program should be developed under medical supervision. The most useful walking, they can be scheduled, for example, 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Walk at your own pace, but make a break, if you start to feel pain, and so on until the end of the scheduled time on a walk . After a while you will be able to travel a longer distance, and time to rest will require less.
Take care of the soles of feet. Every day, wash your feet with warm water, then wipe with a soft towel. Avoid extreme temperatures. Never use a heating pad to the feet, do not immerse them in very cold or very hot water. If feet are cold, you wear socks. Never go barefoot, wear well-fitting shoes and by foot cotton socks. Carefully trim your toenails, avoid skin injuries. Regularly inspect your feet for sores and wounds. If you at night while you sleep sore feet, try to raise the head of your bed so that the head was above the level of the feet.
Eat right. Reduce intake of saturated fats, which are found in red meat, dairy products, as well as hydrogenated fats are found in margarine, fried foods, fast food and some baked goods. Eat more vegetables, fruits, fish and products from whole grains. Reduce your salt intake. To do this, eliminate from their diet, canned foods, salty snacks, instant soups, a variety of sauces. If you drink alcohol, limit maximum to two glasses of vine. If you are overweight, reduce your calories and the size of your portions during meals.
