Essay on Atherosclerosis: The Silent Killer

Many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease cause problems because they lead to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the narrowing and thickening of arteries and develops for years without causing symptoms. It can happen in any part of the body. Around the heart, it is known as coronary artery disease, in the legs it is known as peripheral arterial disease. The narrowing and thickening of the arteries is due to the deposition of fatty material, cholesterol and other substances in the walls of blood vessels. The deposits are known as plaques. The rupture of a plaque can lead to stroke or a heart attack. (World Heart Federation).

Coronary Artery Disease, also known as CAD, is the most common form of heart disease. (Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2009) Coronary Artery Disease obstructs the blood flow in vessels that provides blood to the heart which is caused by the buildup of plaque on the artery walls. (Rogers, 2011, p.87) (Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2009) Plaque is a yellow substance that consists of fat substances, like cholesterol, and narrows or clogs the arteries which prevents blood flow. (Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2009) Plaque can build up in any artery but usually favors large and medium sized arteries. (Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2009)

Atherosclerosis is associated with the major killer ailments in America, which include strokes, heart attacks, as well as peripheral vascular disease. The condition arises when there are a narrowing and hardening of the arteries. This is usually a gradual process, and it slowly blocks the arteries. When this happens, it will impede smooth blood flow. It is estimated that at least one million Americans lost their lives to a condition associated with atherosclerosis for the past few years.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the world, responsible for 30% of all deaths globally (WHO) 1 -3 deaths in the U .S. (CDC).

Atherosclerosis is a disease affecting the innermost layer of large and medium sized such as aorta and coronary arteries. It is a slow developing disease, it is complex and often starts in childhood and progresses with increasing age (Miksch, Hunter, & Papailiou, 2005). It appears as focal thickenings called fibrofatty plaques in an artery wall, these plaques are

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which fatty materials and plaque buildup on the inner lining of arteries. Arteries are blood vessels which carry rich blood to the heart and throughout the body. They’re lined by the endothelium, a thin layer of cells. The endothelium keeps blood flowing by keeping the inside of arteries smooth. However, when Atherosclerosis starts due to high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol, it damages the endothelium. Atherosclerosis tends to happen throughout the body and arises when people grow older. This disease is mainly due to the deposition of fatty materials i.e., cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. The buildup of fat then hardens causing narrowing of the arteries. This

One source of great mortality and morbidity in Europe and North America is the cardiovascular disease, Atherosclerosis. It is recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease of the intermediate and large arteries characterized by the thickening of the arterial wall and is the primary cause of coronary and cerebrovascular heart disease (Wilson, 2005). It accounts for 4.35 million deaths in Europe and 35% death in the UK each year. Mortality rate are generally higher in men than pre-menopausal woman. Past the menopause, a woman’s risk is similar to a man’s (George and Johnston, 2010). Clinical trials have confirmed that lipid accumulation, endothelial dysfunction, cell proliferation, inflammation matrix alteration and foam cell formation are

Another risk factor of heart attacks and many other diseases is smoking. By smoking you speed up the process of atherosclerosis, and so will have a heart attack sooner. Smoking also decreases the amount of oxygen that is absorbed from your lungs to your blood, meaning that it is more likely for your heart not to have enough. This means that when you exercise your heart is going to be under more stress, and it is much more likely for damage to occur. Quitting smoking not only reduces your risk of a heart attack, but also of many other conditions such as lung disease and many

Atherosclerosis can be associate with atheromata’formation, which are raised, fibroadipose plaques that develop within the intimal layer of the artery or within the innermost layers of the tunica media. Some atheromata undergo calcification or ulceration, and mural thrombi can form over complicated and uncomplicated atheromata. As a result, can block or diminished the blood flow in the artery, turning tissue and organs oxygen deprived.

In the community assessment of San Fernando valley part, A, it was mentioned that there are many chronic illnesses such as heart disease, asthma, diabetes and obesity that are caused by poor health management, high cost of healthcare and inadequate knowledge of the disease. One factor that could cause these chronic diseases is the Tobacco usage among adults. According to Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) (2017), Smoking may cause cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and COPD which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

According to the NRDC, nearly 18,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease were caused by active smoking in 1990. Smoking a single cigarette can damage blood flow to your heart for people with a pre-existing coronary artery disease. Cigarette smoking has been found to be the leading cause of pulmonary illness and death in the US. In 1990, smoking cause more than 84,000 deaths anywhere from lung disease, such as pneumonia, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.

Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is a general term for the thickening and hardening of arteries. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a pathological situation in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. Plaque is usually made of cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular products, calcium and fibrin (a clotting material in the blood). Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease (CVD) around the world. The magnitude of this problem is so high that atherosclerosis claims more lives than all types of cancer combined and the financial burden are considerable1. It a complex, chronic pathological

Smoking causes stroke and coronary heart disease, which are among the leading causes of death in the United States.

The Surgeon General has called it "the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the United States." Smoking is among the top preventable risk factors of heart disease amongst many other health problems. Coronary heart disease and strokes are the primary types of cardiovascular disease caused by smoking. They rank as the first and third leading causes of death in the United States. More than 61 million Americans suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease. Smoking increases your risk for high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and aneurysms to name a few. More than 2,600 Americans die every day from cardiovascular diseases.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke causes over 34,000 premature deaths from heart disease per year in the U.S. among nonsmokers.