Atherosclerosis is a condition where plaque builds up on artery walls, leading to hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other problems. Risk factors include age, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, being overweight or obese, family history, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, and high levels of C-reactive protein.
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which plaque builds up on artery walls, causing hardening and sometimes narrowing of the arteries. This condition can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or other problems. Atherosclerosis has several risk factors. Some risk factors for atherosclerosis are age, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, and being overweight or obese. Family history, diabetes and smoking are also risk factors.
High cholesterol is one of several risk factors for atherosclerosis. If a person’s low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is more than 160 mg/dL (4.144 mmol/L) or if their overall cholesterol level is more than 200 mg/dL (5.18 mmol/L), it could be at risk. Similarly, high blood pressure can also contribute to atherosclerosis. A person with a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg is often considered to be at risk. For a person with kidney disease, that number drops to 130/80 mmHg.
If a person doesn’t get enough exercise, they can gain weight. Inadequate exercise and being overweight or obese are two other risk factors for atherosclerosis. The term “overweight” means a condition in which a person carries too much weight due to muscle, bone, water or fat and “obese” means excess weight due to fat. To help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, a person only needs to exercise about 30 minutes most days of the week. Likewise, if a person were to lose weight, their risk would likely decrease.
Smoking is another risk factor for atherosclerosis. A person who smokes cigarettes dramatically increases his risk. Secondhand smoke and cigar or pipe smoking can also increase a person’s risk. Other effects of smoking include increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Smoking can also cause damage to blood vessels and cause them to constrict.
Another risk factor for atherosclerosis is family history. If a man in a person’s family, such as his brother or father, had heart disease before he turned 55, that person may be at risk for atherosclerosis. Similarly, if his mother or sister was diagnosed before the age of 65, he too may be at risk. Age is another risk factor for atherosclerosis. Men age 45 and older and women age 55 and older are often considered to be at a higher risk of developing this condition.
Other risk factors for atherosclerosis include diabetes. Both type I and type II diabetes can increase a person’s risk for the condition. A high amount of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood can also indicate a risk. Higher levels of C-reactive protein are present in the body when inflammation is present. Inflammation caused by damage to internal artery walls is thought to encourage plaque buildup.
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