Symptoms of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis develops gradually, and those gone mild forms of the sickness may not experience any symptoms at all.

Many people behind atherosclerosis dont know they have the condition until their arteries are as a repercussion narrowed or clogged they cant supply suitable enough blood to their organs and tissues.

If symptoms reach occur, their location and height generally depend going in the region of for the blood vessels affected.

Common symptoms of atherosclerosis adjoin going on:

Chest difficulty (angina)

Pain in the leg, arm, and anywhere else that an artery is blocked

Shortness of breath

Fatigue

Confusion (if the blockage affects circulation to the brain)

Muscle illness in the legs from nonappearance of circulation

If you have atherosclerosis in your heart arteries, you may have symptoms, such as chest tame aching or pressure (angina).

Similarly, if you have atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to your brain, you may experience hasty numbness or disease in your arms or legs, secrecy speaking or slurred speech, or drooping muscles in your outlook.

These signal a transient ischemic violence (TIA) and, if they are left untreated, may innovation to a conflict.

If you have atherosclerosis in the arteries in your arms and legs, meanwhile, you may have symptoms of peripheral artery disease. These symptoms tally happening leg throbbing taking into account walking.

Finally, atherosclerosis can in addition to show the arteries leading to your kidneys or genitals, resulting in kidney failure or erectile dysfunction, respectively.

Early diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis can prevent terrible complications such as angina (chest aching), out of the unidentified heartbeat, heart violent behavior, or stroke.

If you think you have atherosclerosis, chat to your doctor suddenly, as its a omnipresent health condition.

How Is Atherosclerosis Diagnosed?

During a routine swine test, your doctor may locate signs of narrowed or hardened arteries such as:

Weak or absent pulse in the place of the affected artery

Decreased blood pressure in an affected limb

Whooshing sounds or bruits over again the affected arteries (heard when a stethoscope)

Signs of an aneurysm in your abdomen or astern your knee

Evidence of poor wound healing in the affected area

Depending re the results of the physical test, your doctor may find the money for an opinion some or every single one portion of of the once than investigative tests:

Blood tests to detect increased levels of cholesterol and blood sugar

Doppler ultrasound to question blood flow through arteries

Ankle-brachial index

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Stress exam or exercise put emphasis on exam

Cardiac catheterization and angiogram

Computerized tomography (CT) scan

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)

Blood tests can detect increased levels of cholesterol and blood sugar even though Doppler ultrasound is used to undertaking your blood pressure at various points along your arm or leg and identify blockages.

Your doctor may understand your blood pressure at your ankle and in your arm.

Dividing the arm blood pressure into the ankle blood pressure gives a outcome called the ankle-brachial index, which can be used to forecast the chance that someone will have a heart assertiveness or new business, as dexterously as the risk of death from such behavior.

He or she may in addition to suggest an electrocardiogram to see if youve had a heart belligerence, as you may have a mild heart incident without even knowing it.

Stress or exercise exasperation tests are also common, as they can in addition to your doctor pile up together quotation just about how well your heart works during monster bustle.

This exam usually involves walking upon a treadmill or riding a stationary bike though your heart rhythm and blood pressure and full of beans are monitored.

An echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound exam that shows heart structure and perform.

Your doctor may warn a cardiac catheterization and angiogram to see if your coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked.

They can moreover use computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to psychiatry your arteries.