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Atherosclerosis Signs and Symptoms
Published: 02/04/2010
» Circulatory System
»» Blood Vessels
»» Heart
Atherosclerosis usually doesn't cause signs and symptoms until it severely narrows or totally blocks an artery. Many people don't know they have the disease until they have a medical emergency, such as a heart attack or stroke.
Some people may have signs and symptoms of the disease. Signs and symptoms will depend on which arteries are affected.
Coronary Arteries
The coronary arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart. When plaque narrows or blocks these arteries (a condition called coronary heart disease, or CHD), a common symptom is angina. Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen-rich blood.
Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. You also may feel it in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. This pain tends to get worse with activity and go away when you rest. Emotional stress also can trigger the pain.
Other symptoms of CHD are shortness of breath and arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs). Arrhythmias are problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.
Plaque also can form in the heart's smallest arteries. When this happens, it's called coronary microvascular disease (MVD). In addition to angina and shortness of breath, coronary MVD also may cause sleep problems, fatigue (tiredness), and lack of energy.
Carotid Arteries
The carotid arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your brain. When plaque narrows or blocks these arteries (a condition called carotid artery disease), you may have symptoms of a stroke. These symptoms may include:
- Sudden weakness or numbness in the face or limbs, often on just one side of the body
- The inability to move one or more of your limbs
- Trouble speaking and understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- A sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Peripheral Arteries
Plaque also can build up in the major arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the legs, arms, and pelvis. When this happens, it's called peripheral arterial disease. If these major arteries are narrowed or blocked, it can lead to numbness, pain, and, sometimes, dangerous infections.
