Atherosclerosis Vs Arteriosclerosis

You may familiar with the terms arteriosclerosis, arteriolosclerosis, atherosclerosis, etc. When talking about cardiovascular diseases, you may have heard about these terms. They are often used interchangeably, and people may mistake Arteriosclerosis and Atherosclerosis as the same thing, but both terms refer to different vascular pathologies.

The article discusses Atherosclerosis and Arteriosclerosis, its cause, symptoms, and treatment.

What is Areteriosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis is the general term given to a group of conditions that cause arteries to become narrow and harden.

Healthy arteries are stretchy and flexible, and they help in the smooth running of blood to and from your heart and lungs. They are an essential part of the cardiovascular system that distributes oxygen and blood to the entire body.

When the arteries become narrow, it affects blood flow and circulation. Thereby, arteries can no longer effectively do their core function. 

What are the different types of Arteriosclerosis?

• Hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis

This type of arteriosclerosis deposits protein in your arteries, and it causes the arteries to narrow and harden. The condition often appears in kidney patients and people with high blood pressure.

• Nonatheromatous arteriosclerosis

In this condition, the arteries get hardened due to age-related scarring. Nonatheromatous arteriosclerosis doesn’t expose any symptoms until it turned into complications. It may be identified during imaging tests. 

• Atherosclerosis

As aforementioned, the term is often confused with arteriosclerosis.  The condition happens due to the excessive depositing of fat in the wall of your arteries, which ultimately leads to clogged arteries and reduced blood flow. 

• Hyaline Arteriosclerosis

The condition is found in patients who have diabetes mellitus. Hyaline Arteriosclerosis is characterized by the build-up of a glassy substance in the walls of arteries. The arteries become thickened and hardened due to the constant depositing of certain substances.  The term also refers to arteriolar hyalinosis. 

• Monkeberg’s Arteriosclerosis

Monkeberg’s arteriosclerosis is mainly seen in people with old age. It’s a non-inflammatory disease that occurs due to deposits of calcium in the middle layer of the walls of medium-sized vessels. Compared to other types of arteriosclerosis, it doesn’t cause blood clots, circulation problems, and artery narrowing. 

What are the symptoms of Arteriosclerosis?

Arteriosclerosis doesn’t show any symptoms until it turned into a heart attack or other severe conditions.

Therefore, a regular check-up with your healthcare physician or cardiologist is important. Arteriosclerosis doesn’t happen until your artery is so narrowed or clogged. When your organs and tissue don’t get enough blood supply, it leads to a blood clot and may trigger a heart attack or stroke. 

Here are the symptoms related to your coronary artery disease.

• Shortness of breath
• Pain in different parts of the body, especially in the chest, arms, neck, or jaw.
• Angina
• Weakness
• Numbness in the face, arm, or leg
• Severe headache
• Dizziness
• Vision problems
• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Cold sweat
• Difficulty in speaking
• High blood pressure
• Kidney failure

How to treat Arteriosclerosis?

An unhealthy lifestyle is one of the major reasons behind Arteriosclerosis. Like other diseases, Arteriosclerosis can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle and proper medications. Depending on the severity and type of condition, your doctor may recommend different ways of treatment to reduce the complications. 

Let’s begin with lifestyle changes. Here are the lifestyle changes that help to control Arteriosclerosis.

• Quit smoking
• Avoid drinking
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Healthier diet
• Regular exercise

Some of the common medications for Arteriosclerosis

• Diuretics
• Calcium channel blockers
• Beta-blockers
• Statins
• Metformin
• Vasodilators
• Ranolazine

What is Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis is a  specific type of arteriosclerosis that happens due to the depositing of fatty substances in the arteries. Many people believe that the term, atherosclerosis, and arteriosclerosis are the same. But atherosclerosis is specific in its cause, symptoms, and treatment.

Atherosclerosis is mainly found in people with high cholesterol. The constant deposit of fatty substances in the arteries builds up plaque that causes them to narrow.  If atherosclerosis affects the blood supply to the heart, it gradually leads to several cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, stroke, etc.

The condition doesn’t occur suddenly, it takes time to form plaque in the arteries. But the condition can worsen quickly. 

What are the Symptoms of Atherosclerosis?

When it comes to the symptoms of atherosclerosis, it is similar to arteriosclerosis, which means it doesn’t show any signs until they have a heart attack or stroke. However, some of the possible symptoms of Atherosclerosis are,

• Paralysis
• Numbness in the face
• Headache
• Difficulty in breathing
• Coughing
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Chest pain
• Vomiting 
• Loss of appetite

What are the potential health risks of Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis obstructs the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. The blocking of blood to various parts of your body affects the functioning of the heart and brain. It develops several complications including,

• Stroke
• Herat attack
• Coronary artery disease
• Peripheral artery disease
• Renal artery disease
• Transient ischemic attack
• Carotid artery disease

How to treat Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis usually affects older people. It starts to develop in adolescence and becomes severe in old age. However, it can be a life-threatening disease that may even cause death.

But there are treatments available for managing atherosclerosis. Treatments are developed to slow the development of plaque and prevent blood clotting. Besides medications, you can control the development of plaque by following a healthy lifestyle.

Studies show that lifestyle is an essential factor that helps to lead a healthy life. People who follow a  healthy lifestyle can live a life without any diseases. Lifestyle changes reduce the risk of developing plaque in the arteries. Here are the healthy lifestyle choices that help to get rid of atherosclerosis.

• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Eat healthy foods
• Do regular exercise/physical activities
• Avoid smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight

Adopt these practices and make them a habit, it will improve your gut health and helps to prevent diseases related to cardiovascular health.

Medications for Atherosclerosis

Medications:- People with atherosclerosis are given cholesterol-lowering medications for lowering the development of plaque in arteries. Doctors also prescribe blood thinners to prevent blood clots and lower blood pressure. Some of the commonly used medications are,

• Blood sugar medications- help to regulate blood glucose level
• Beta-blockers- help to reduce blood pressure
• Anticoagulants- help to reduce inflammation and relief pain
• Statins- help to reduce cholesterol in the blood
• Anti-inflammatory medications- help to reduce inflammation and relief pain

Surgical procedures for Atherosclerosis

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
• Angioplasty
• Atherectomy
• Bypass surgery

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