Atherosclerosis By Aravind Kalathil, Sam Eiswirth, and Brooke Turner

Why is Atherosclerosis known as a heart disease? Atherosclerosis is when there is a buildup of plaque on artery walls This creates a smaller passageway for blood to go through, increasing blood pressure Due to the smaller passageway, it can stop oxygen-rich blood from going to muscles, especially the heart Without oxygen-rich blood entering the heart and supplying the heart’s tissue with oxygen, heart attacks, chest pain, and strokes may occur

Causes of Atherosclerosis Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart, and distribute oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. The walls of the arteries are lined with a layer of cells called endothelium which functions as a way to keep the walls smooth in order to easily keep blood flowing. Atherosclerosis is caused by damaging the endothelium in your arteries, which often caused by smoking, high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol. The damage of the endothelium leads to the formation of plaque. When LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) comes in contact with the damaged endothelium, the cholesterol enters the arterial wall and results in the formation of plaque build-up.

Risk Factors of Atherosclerosis People that are most likely to be affected by this: Smokers People with high blood pressure People with high cholesterol Diabetics Over the age of 50 People with low physical activity or unhealthy eating habits Obesity

Symptoms of Atherosclerosis The plaque buildup can cause three main types of cardiovascular diseases: Coronary Artery Disease: The excess of fatty substances in the heart can cause angina (chest pains), plaque can suddenly rupture and cause blood clots which restricts blood flow to the heart muscle which results in a heart attack Cerebrovascular Disease: Ruptured plaques in the brain's arteries can cause a stroke, which can lead to many other problems such as permanent brain damage. Can also cause transient ischemic attacks which are warning signs of a stroke Peripheral Artery Disease: Blockages can cause poor blood circulation which can lead to peripheral pain, and in severe cases can lead to amputation

Prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis Statins Statins are a class of LDL cholesterol lowering drugs Statins work by blocking the substance in your liver that the body uses to create LDL cholesterol High LDL cholesterol is the main cause of atherosclerosis Regular moderate exercise Exercise can help one to lose weight, which also helps lower LDL cholesterol levels Dietary changes Avoid trans fats and limit saturated fat intake, replace with unsaturated fats (Saturated fats prompt your body to produce more LDL cholesterol)

Prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis continued Dietary changes Moderate consumption of unsaturated fats can increase your levels of HDL cholesterol and help reduce blockage in your arteries Moderate consumption plant sterols Research suggests eating 2,000mg of sterols and stanols a day reduces levels of LDL cholesterol by around 10%, which in turn should reduce the risk of heart disease by around 25%.

Can atherosclerosis be reversed? Atherosclerosis cannot be completely reversed It is only possible to slow the progression of the disease Major lifestyle and dietary changes along with medication can help to slow progression of the disease The best way to slow the progression of atherosclerosis is to lower LDL cholesterol (cholesterol that is absorbed by the body) through the use of statins