Atherosclerosis - Leading Cause Of Heart Disease And Stroke
About
1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with heart disease every year and
almost 700,000 Americans will suffer a stroke. Additionally, about 8
million people suffer peripheral arterial disease in the U.S.
Atherosclerosis
is the leading cause for heart attack and stroke, which results in more
than 40% of all deaths in the United States, more than all kinds of
cancer combined. For many, atherosclerosis is a silent disease, with no
visible signs or symptoms until it suddenly leads to a heart attack or
stroke.
Atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis is a disease where
there is a slow increase of fatty plaques in the arteries, causing the
arteries to harden. The arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood
from the heart to the rest of the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients
to the cells. The buildup of plaque in these arteries narrows the
arteries and reduces the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart and
other parts of the body.
The process of atherosclerosis can begin
at early childhood or adulthood and eventually block the arteries, which
arrests the flow of blood to the heart and brain, leading to heart
attack, stroke or even death. Any artery in the body can be altered by
atherosclerosis and, depending on which artery is affected, a variety of
diseases can develop.
-- Coronary artery disease or heart
disease: A buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries can reduce or
block blood flow to the heart, leading to chest pain and heart attack.
--
Carotid artery disease: A buildup of plaque in the carotid arteries can
lower or diminish blood flow to the brain leading to stroke.
--
Peripheral arterial disease: A buildup of plaque in the major arteries
supplying oxygen-rich blood to the legs, arms and pelvis, can lead to
numbness, pain and dangerous infections.
Low-grade Inflammation Plays A Crucial Role At Every Stage Of Atherosclerosis
During
the initial stage of atherosclerosis, plaques build up quickly in the
inflamed arteries. When inflammation persists, the plaques narrow the
blood vessels quickly. As atherosclerosis progresses, inflammation leads
to the formation of soft or vulnerable plaque filled with inflammatory
cells and their metabolites and debris.
The inflamed plaques
develop weak areas that can rupture without warning. The ruptured plaque
brings the blood in contact with the plaque contents, results in the
formation of clots and artery occlusion, leads to major problems like
heart attack and stroke.
What Causes Low-grade Inflammation
Cigarette
smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes are well
established risk factors that promote atherosclerosis. These risk
factors give rise to a range of toxic stimuli that cause the release of
chemicals and the activation of inflammatory cells.
In addition,
chronic infection, probably caused by bacteria or virus, might
contribute to or even cause atherosclerosis. The infectious bacteria
such as Chlamydia pneumoniae has been shown to have an important
association with atherosclerotic plaque. The herpes simplex virus may
also be an original inflammatory infectious agent in atherosclerosis.
Lifestyle factors such as stress, lack of exercise, poor diet, and genetic predisposition can also stimulate inflammation.
Inflammatory Marker CRP Predicts Cardiovascular Events And Stroke
C-reactive
protein (CRP) is a protein marker that rises during systemic
inflammation. High levels of CRP reliably predict recurrent coronary
events (angina) and heart attack. Elevated CRP levels are also
associated with lower survival rates in these patients.
Studies
also indicate that the higher the CRP level, the greater the risk of
having a heart attack. Studies also found association between sudden
cardiac death, peripheral arterial disease, and CRP.
Control Inflammation Can Prevent Heart Attack And Stroke
Inflammation
should be controlled by lifestyle changes, including losing weight,
exercising, controlling diabetes, stopping smoking, controlling high
blood pressure, and reducing alcohol intake. Anti-platelet drugs such as
aspirin may offer some protection. Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs
may also reduce low-grade inflammation.
A recent clinical trial
that studied 17,802 apparently healthy men and women discovered that
lowering inflammation can prevent cardiovascular disease. Another trial
that examined 250,000 patients who suffered a heart attack showed that
nearly 50% of the attacks occurred in people with normal cholesterol
levels, which indicates that inflammation is involved. The study
findings also implied that about 20% of the total heart attacks in the
US can be prevented simply by controlling inflammation.
Natural Remedies For Inflammation Relief
There
are many medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory properties that can
reduce chronic inflammation safely. Some of them have been extensively
analyzed and studied. To name just a few: Turmeric, Scute, Coptis,
Lovage, and Gingo biloba.
By keeping inflammation under control, natural anti-inflammatory remedies may:
-- Boost the vascular healing and repair;
-- Improve vascular function and integrity;
-- Maintain normal coagulation of blood and protect blood vessels from breakdown;
-- Restore the body's antioxidant defense and help to ease stress.
Dr Yi Shi, founder of Innovative Drug Discovery and
3Rskincare.com
is well established in medical research. Dr Shi has accomplished
numerous research projects and published over 40 research articles in
medical journals. For nearly a decade, Dr Shi has directed collaborative
efforts to develop natural anti-inflammatory products for chronic
conditions including cardiovascular diseases.
