Arterial plaque, a product of the process of Atherosclerosis, is a buildup of solid and viscous substances, including fat, cholesterol, and calcium, that collects inside the arteries that carry blood to your heart. The plaque hardens on the inside of the arteries and prevents the proper flow of blood from your organs to your heart which impacts your overall heart health.
How Does Arterial Plaque Form?
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a type of cholesterol that comes chiefly from foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol, creates the base of arterial plaque. On a microscopic level, LDL contains dietary cholesterol inside a casing of lipoprotein. The lipoprotein casing cannot be dissolved in the blood, so it must be carried as-is to areas where it is needed.
When LDL cholesterol becomes too great in volume, the blood can no longer carry it properly. The LDL cholesterol collects on the endothelium, the smooth and fragile lining of the blood vessels. As more of it collects, the pathway for blood flow back to the heart become more narrow.
The process can be broken down into 3 steps:
1. Endothelium Damage-- For plaque formation to begin, the cholesterol needs a place to enter the walls in the artery. Damage to the endothelium from smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, or elevated cholesterol intake creates areas into which LDL cholesterol can enter and begin plaque formation.
2. Cholesterol Intake-- Consuming large amounts of cholesterol can not only damage artery walls but also fill the damaged areas with newly introduced LDL cells.
3. Plaque Buildup-- Once the artery walls have been filled, additional LDL cholesterol can latch onto existing damaged areas and begin to create very large collections of cholesterol detrimental to healthy blood flow.
The process of atherosclerosis and arterial plaque buildup can begin even in adolescence. It happens painlessly and can go completely unnoticed until a serious medical emergency occurs.
What Problems Does Arterial Plaque Cause?
The resulting constriction from endothelial damage and cholesterol buildup can cause blood pressure problems, ruptures, and death. In the United States, the number one cause of death is the combination of plaque buildup and blood clots that cause heart attacks and strokes.
• Atherosclerosis-- hardening of the arteries caused by damage and subsequent repairs coupled with plaque buildup
• High blood pressure-- can be caused or exacerbated by the presence of plaque that constricts the flow of blood to vital organs
• Heart attack-- ruptures from arterial plaque buildup cause blood to clot in the pathway of blood back to heart, leading to heart attack
• Stroke-- ruptures can also cause blood to clot in the pathway leading to the brain, depriving the brain of blood and oxygen and causing a stroke.
Artherosclerosis Stages
Cardiovascular Disease
Plaque can also be the agent of several cardiovascular diseases that have serious consequences. These include:
• Peripheral Artery Disease-- Blocked arteries localized in the legs can lead to pain while walking and the inability to heal from wounds properly. Poor blood circulation prevents the necessary clotting and repair materials from reaching the legs, which can also make amputation necessary.
• Coronary Artery Disease-- Sustained plaque buildup and clogged arteries can cause myocardial infarction, a heart attack that precipitates heart muscle tissue death.
• Cerebrovascular Disease-- A lack of blood to the brain can cause both mild bouts with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), which are less threatening than a stroke, or an actual stroke, which may cause serious, permanent brain damage.
How Can I Fight & Reduce Arterial Plaque?
As with most conditions that deal with the regulatory systems of the body, a combination of healthy diet and exercise makes a positive change. Healthy living can both prevent the buildup of arterial plaque and help to fight it once it has begun. While your arteries may have already sustained permanent damage from an extended period of cardiovascular disease, beginning an exercise regimen and lowering saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet is an effective way to help the body repair itself.
Prescription drugs such as Benicar can also help control and reduce arterial plaque. Benicar assists in prevention and repair by lowering high blood pressure, reducing the stress on artery walls and preventing damage that can lead to plaque buildup.
Talk to your doctor about arterial plaque and cardiovascular disease even if you don’t notice any unusual pain or discomfort. Plaque builds slowly over long periods of time and causes severe and life-threatening medical conditions that can affect you without notice.
