Clogged Arteries: Important Facts

Clogged Arteries: Important Facts

What causes Clogged Arteries?

Arteries play a vital role in our body. They are important because they are responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood to our body cells. In case the arteries become clogged, they will fail to supply our body cells with oxygenated blood. As this happens, the risks of heart attack and stroke increases! Both these conditions can be fatal. So, it is essential for you to ensure that your arteries are not clogged. But, before you know how to keep them unclogged, you need to know how they get clogged. There are several foods that clean arteries and helps in natural cleansing.

WHAT CAUSES CLOGGED ARTERIES?

The medical name for clogged arteries is coronary arterial plaque. This plaque can be formed by various materials like calcium, fibrin, fat, cholesterol etc. These are not foreign material and are generally available in our everyday food. It is because of this reason; diet plays a very important role. Blood fails to dissolve these materials and hence, they start building up on the walls of the arteries. Gradually the walls of the arteries get thickened and thereby block the path through which the blood passes. Arteries are found everywhere. They connect to the vital organs of the body and they are also responsible for supplying blood to hands and legs. Coronary arterial plaque when formed will give different symptoms for different areas of the body and hence, it is important for you to know the symptoms of clogged arteries.



SYMPTOMS OF CLOGGED ARTERIES IN HEART

It is really difficult to understand whether a person is suffering from coronary arterial plaque or not. The clogging may take place over a very long period of time and hence, immediate diagnosis may not be possible. However, over time, some symptoms may indicate clogged arteries. For example, if the arteries supplying oxygenated blood to the heart start developing the coronary arterial plaque, a medical condition known as angina may occur. This is a condition where the affected person will experience chest pain and discomfort. Shoulder pain may also take place. However, this will not necessarily mean clogged arteries. There may be other indications as well like fatigue even in a state of rest or abnormal heart beat while working.


CORONARY ARTERIAL PLAQUE AND BRAIN

The way you cannot ignore heart, you cannot ignore your brain as well. Numerous arteries stem out into the brain. Brain is divided into several parts and each part has its own unique function. When arteries stemming out to the brain are clogged, various medical conditions can take place depending on the area of the brain that is not receiving the oxygenated blood. The coronary arterial plaque can impair speech, movement, vision, sense and other aspects. Stroke is also a very possible situation that can be fatal. The symptoms of clogged arteries in brain can vary dramatically depending on the area of the brain that is affected. Some may feel weakness of limbs; some may face speech troubles because of facial muscle paralysis and some people may simply face sudden blackouts!

It is because of this, you need to make sure that your arteries are not clogged. Pay close attention to your diet and do regular exercise. Exercise will help the body to break the large particles responsible for clogging into small particles and they will be converted into energy through the process of metabolism.

Reviewed By:

Dr. Kaushal M. Bhavsar (MBBS, MD)

Assistant Professor in Pulmonary Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Ahmedabad