Braden Johnson, Nor Schorn, Caitlyn Cornelli Atherosclerosis Braden Johnson, Nor Schorn, Caitlyn Cornelli

Why is atherosclerosis called heart disease? Atherosclerosis is a condition where the arteries harden due to plaque build up. The plaque inside the arteries is made of cholesterol. The plaque inside the arteries may block the blood flow in the artery to the heart and through the body. When this occurs, the blood flow is stopped and the oxygen supply decreases. This can lead to a heart attack.

Causes of atherosclerosis There is no exact known cause of atherosclerosis, but it starts when certain factors damage the inner layer of the arteries. Some causes could be: Smoking High amounts of certain fats in blood High amounts of cholesterol in the blood High amounts of sugar High blood pressure

Causes of atherosclerosis continued When macrophage white blood cells and fat accumulate in the arteries atherosclerosis takes place. The white blood cells were sent out by the body's immune system to clean up the LDL cholesterol pockets. When they stick to a artery they secrete a molecule which then stops the normal migration of macrophages out of the arteries. Because of this a mixture of clumped up cholesterol pockets and white blood cells they are the plaque that disrupts the blood flow.

Risk factors of Atherosclerosis Smoking can damage and tighten blood vessels, raise cholesterol levels, and raise blood sugar. Smoking also doesn’t allow enough oxygen to reach the body’s tissues. High cholesterol can cause blockage in your arteries due to plaque buildup from too much LDL. Lack of physical activity can worsen other risk factors for atherosclerosis. Lack of physical activity can cause blood pressure to rise, cholesterol to rise, and your blood circulation will not get better.

Prevention of Atherosclerosis eat a healthy diet Fruits, vegetables, legumes – such as beans or peas, olive oil stop smoking (if you smoke) take regular exercise walking swimming cycling lose weight (if you are overweight or obese) moderate your consumption of alcohol

Is Atherosclerosis Reversible? Yes, atherosclerosis is reversible. You can reverse this by eating healthier, losing weight, stop smoking, exercising, and moderating your consumption of alcohol. This will help the plaque buildup decrease inside of the artery.

Works cited http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/WhyCholesterolMatters/Athe rosclerosis_UCM_305564_Article.jsp#.VwUbHfkrLIU http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/atherosclerosis/atrisk Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2016. "What Causes Atherosclerosis?" - NHLBI, NIH. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.