Though atherosclerosis occurs in nearly all larger arteries, it is asymptomatic for most of its course and often undetectable by living diagnostic means. Angina is caused by restricted blood flow, often due to atherosclerosis. Patients experience this symptom as a sense of pressure or squeezing discomfort in the chest. It may also be experienced within your shoulders, arms, neck, or back.
The pain in the chest usually worsens with activity and improves with rest. Pain can also be induced by emotional stress. The condition occurs when the fatty material builds up the arterial walls, narrowing the artery and reducing its elasticity. The narrowing, which decreases blood supply to the heart, results in pain in the chest.
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Signs and symptoms of atherosclerosis typically don’t occur until an artery is severely constricted or fully blocked. Symptoms of atherosclerosis differ depending on how far into the course the blood supply is most compromised. Several other issues can be seen when it is on the lower limbs. Patients feel weakness and numbness in the legs. These symptoms are caused by a hindered perfusion of blood in the femoral artery, leading to limb ischemia.
Acute limb ischemia or chronic limb ischemia has an important impact on mobility in the advanced stages of the disease. It should also be noted that the sudden emergence of muscle weakness can be symptomatic of a life-affecting condition due to atherosclerosis. If the person experiences trouble with balance or sudden loss of strength in the legs, this may be an ischemic stroke, which is life-threatening.
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Atherosclerosis can cause shortness of breath. It makes even simple day-to-day activities tough to perform due to breathing problems. Even slight exertion can lead to fast breathing. Patients get into trouble very quickly and also can feel dizzy. The presence of shortness of breath frequently accompanies chest pain.
This combination is a significant indicator that the patient does have atherosclerosis in the coronary artery. In that case, it is important to identify and treat the disease quickly because the consequences can be serious. If the arteries are blocked that supply blood to the heart, then the cells in the heart die, and a heart attack and ultimately death can occur. Atherosclerosis is a serious disease, and its symptoms should not be ignored.
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Nausea and vomiting are symptoms common to multiple diseases. In most cases, they correspond to pathologies of the digestive system. However, it is also important to be aware that atherosclerosis may also lead to these signs. Inappropriate symptoms are associated with atherosclerotic plaque deposition in the abdominal aorta.
Atherosclerosis is a disease in adults, but children and teenagers can develop the disease, too. Other arteries that can be affected may also lead to nausea or vomiting. Atherosclerosis, which causes harmful narrowing of the blood vessels supplying the heart with oxygen, can cause nausea and other symptoms typical of this type of disease.
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Atherosclerosis can lead to the sensation of a fast and disordered pulse. In medicine, such symptoms are referred to as arrhythmias. There are many forms of arrhythmia. They are associated with heart disease. The heart can stop functioning properly due to the narrowing of the arteries supplying blood. As a result, severe heart diseases and disorders, such as ischemic heart disease, can occur due to atherosclerosis.
Myocardial ischemia happens when one of the arteries has a lot of stenosis. In severe cases, this obstructed artery also causes a heart attack. This makes it important to notice arrhythmias beforehand and to have the ability to prevent the complications. The arrhythmias can be easily detected on ECG or even a simple examination with a stethoscope.
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Anxiety is a known psychological symptom related to atherosclerosis. One potential underlying pathophysiological pathway is inflammatory processes, summed up as autonomic nervous system dysfunction and overactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, that connect anxiety disorders with heightened atherosclerosis, the study’s researchers noted. If there is not enough oxygen for the brain with the blood, this may result in behavioral changes and emotional disturbances.
When heart palpitations hit when breathing becomes difficult, or chest pain follows, it can also lead to sudden anxiety. Detecting atherosclerosis by the potential symptoms of each individual is critical to preventing atherosclerotic complications of the disease that can be fatal.
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Vertigo is a frequent symptom that can be defined as distorted verticalism or an illusion of distortion. Earlier research findings indicate that there may be an association between vertigo and arteriosclerosis. Arteries supplying the brain can also be affected by atherosclerosis. This includes carotid and vertebral arteries.
Constriction of either of these arteries can lead to cerebral ischemia, presenting with dizziness and possibly even syncope (fainting). Do not ignore these symptoms, as stroke and death can occur due to severe cerebral ischemia. In the early stages of atherosclerosis, timely intervention is the best protection from the threat to life and health.
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A visual obstruction is one of the main symptoms of atherosclerosis. Normally, visual disturbances are related to eye diseases, but you must know that other diseases can also cause loss of vision. Atherosclerotic lesions located in the carotid arteries can lead to cerebral ischemia and the manifestation of such symptoms. In these cases, the eyeballs themselves are not injured, but the blood supply to the brain regions involved in vision is disturbed, resulting in loss of visual function.
Impaired vision during the natural history of atherosclerosis may be transient. Sudden loss of vision is also possible. Patients should consult a doctor under such conditions because cerebral ischemia refers to a dangerous condition.
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In its earliest stages, atherosclerosis may not cause any signs or symptoms. Characteristic symptoms may only lead patients to consult a physician when more severe problems arise. For example, one of the symptoms could be leg pain. Atherosclerotic plaques decrease the cross-sectional area of an artery, thereby limiting blood flow to the distal lower extremities.
Rest occurs at the characterization of the pain. But doing anything active — walking, running — brings the pain out. Moreover, nighttime pain can also interfere with sleep quality. Leg pain may indicate that high cholesterol has caused a condition called peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Patients may display notable muscle atrophy during diagnosis.
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People with atherosclerosis may notice more sweating than usual in themselves. It typically occurs where coronary artery disease forms from atherosclerosis. Excessive sweating is another common symptom among heart patients. Because of low blood supply to the heart, excessive sweating is present in the body.
Excessive sweating can happen at night, at rest, and during exercise, depending on cardiac function status. This is generally accompanied by other symptoms like arrhythmias and breathlessness, which lead to sweating. Sudden sweating — often called cold sweats — can also be an early warning sign of a heart attack. Myocardial infarction is typically also associated with crushing chest pains and other features.
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Atherosclerosis leads to a host of health problems. One of the signs of anomalies could be abdominal pain. Traditionally, abdominal pains are primarily related to gastrointestinal tract diseases. On the other hand, they may also be crucial markers for the progression of atherosclerosis. This disease is progressive over time and causes ischemic colitis.
In this condition, blood flow to the large intestine decreases, resulting in inflammation and injury to the large intestine lining. Depending on where the ischemia occurs and how badly it affects blood flow, signs of ischemic colitis may be different. Patients may have bloody stools as well as pain in the belly. The course of ischemic colitis varies, but in extreme cases, it demands urgent surgical intervention.
12.Fatigue can also be an important symptom of atherosclerosis. The symptom is frequently neglected, as seen in nearly all diseases. However, if the weariness is severe enough to stop a person from functioning normally, that should be a red flag if you seek out a doctor to be tested. Vasoconstriction of the vessels and arteries can lead to a pronounced development of fatigue.
In this case, patients get tired very quickly with minimum activities. Along with it, problems arise in concentration and memory. Chronic fatigue due to atherosclerosis can also cause mood changes. In studies, researchers have cited a correlation between atherosclerosis and depression. And it is associated with hypoxia in the brain.
