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Atherosclerosis

Whakangako ia-tuku

Atherosclerosis (a-ther-oh-scler-oh-sis) is a build-up of plaque on the inner lining of artery walls, which causes the artery to narrow. Plaque is made up of fats, cholesterol and other material.

Narrowing of your arteries reduces the blood flow to your organs and other parts of your body. This means that less oxygen is delivered to those parts of your body.

Complications of atherosclerosis depend on which arteries are affected.

• Coronary artery disease is atherosclerosis in your coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood to your heart). It can lead to angina or a heart attack.
• Cerebrovascular disease is atherosclerosis in your carotid arteries (the arteries that supply blood to your brain). It can cause a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or a stroke.
• Peripheral vascular disease is atherosclerosis in the arteries in your arms and legs (peripheral arteries).
• Atherosclerosis in your renal arteries (the arteries that supply blood to your kidneys) can lead to chronic kidney disease.

Reducing your risk of atherosclerosis

You cannot control all risk factors, but lifestyle changes can help you lower some risks. This means:

• stopping smoking
• eating well
• avoiding too much alcohol
• keeping active
• maintaining a healthy weight.

Diagnosing atherosclerosis

Your general practice team will ask you questions about your health and about your family's health. Your symptoms will help them diagnose if you have atherosclerosis. They will also arrange blood tests to check your cholesterol and sugar levels.

Your general practice team may also refer you to a vascular specialist (a surgical doctor who specialises in blood vessels). The vascular specialist might arrange tests like an echocardiogram and a CT scan. They might also arrange further tests like an ankle-brachial index (for peripheral vascular disease), a doppler ultrasound and an angiogram. For information about these tests, see Tests for blood vessel problems.

Treating atherosclerosis

Treatment options include medication and surgery.

Taking medication

Your doctor might prescribe medicines to:

• lower cholesterol
• control your blood pressure
• control your blood glucose (sugar) if you have diabetes
• reduce clotting (medicines such as aspirin or clopidogrel).

Surgery

There are several types of surgery.

• Angioplasty, where the surgeon inflates a tiny balloon in your artery causing it to widen, and possibly fits a stent (a small plastic or metal tube) to keep your artery open
• Arterial bypass, where the surgeon redirects the blood flow around the blockage. The surgeon often uses a plastic tube for the bypass but sometimes they use a length of your own vein.
• Atherectomy, where the surgeon uses a small tube called a catheter to insert a small cutting device into the blocked artery. They then use the cutting device to shave or cut off the plaque from the affected area in your blood vessel.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

• Patient.info – Atheroma

  Information about what atheroma (atherosclerosis) is and what diseases it causes

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed August 2022.

Sources

Page reference: 403772

Review key: HIBLV-403653