Atherosclerosis is a common disorder of the arteries. Fat, cholesterol and other substances accumulate in the walls of the arteries and form “atheromas” or plaque. Oxidation of these substances contribute to the accumulation.
Eventually, this fatty tissue can erode the wall of the artery, diminish its elasticity and interfere with blood flow. Plaques can also rupture/break off, causing debris to migrate downstream within an artery. This is a common cause of heart attack and stroke.
Clots can also form around the plaque deposits, further interfering with blood flow and posing additional danger if they break off and travel to the heart, lungs and brain. Many doctors now suspect that people with a high inflammation risk are at risk from atherosclerosis.
Risk factors for atherosclerosis include: smoking, high blood pressure, excessive dietary fats, poor blood cholesterol levels, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and kidney disease.
Applied nutrition
See “heart attack / stroke”. The theme is to reduce inflammatory risk, increase anti-oxidative nutritional intake, reduce fat and cholesterol and slowly increase exercise levels.