Heart disease is
caused by a build up of fatty acids, cholesterol, calcium and other
substances on the inside of arteries in the heart. This buildup is
called an atherosclerotic plaque and the condition of having these
plaques in ones arteries is called atherosclerosis, which means
“hardening of the arteries”. The buildups constrict the arteries and
make it harder for blood to flow through them.
Usually, patients have atherosclerosis in the major arteries all
over the body, not only in the heart. This means that the heart has
to work extra hard to pump blood to the body. The plaques in the
coronary arteries (the arteries around the heart muscle) constrict
the blood flow to the heart muscle and can cause oxygen deficiency,
which causes symptoms of angina like chest pain and shortness of
breath.
Plaques are also sensitive to rupture or can dislodge and completely
block the artery. If a blockage happens in a coronary artery a heart
attack is the result. Blockages or ruptures in arteries of the brain
result in a stroke.
There are also diseases that result from atherosclerosis in
peripheral arteries like e.g. intermittent claudication, a condition
in which atherosclerosis interferes with the blood flow to the legs.
It causes severe pain in the legs with walking that goes away when
resting.
Singapore,
Singapore
Yemen, Sana
Spain, Madrid
Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
Portugal, Lisbon
Bulgaria, Sofia
Iceland, Reykjavik
Guinea, Conakry
Malta, Valletta
Stockton, California, USA
