什么是动脉粥样硬化?

Atherosclerosis 和 cholesterol

Plaque buildup, or fatty deposits, in your arteries is called atherosclerosis. These deposits are made up of cholesterol, 脂肪物质, 细胞废物, 钙和纤维蛋白, a clotting material 在血液里. Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis means hardening of the arteries.

As plaque builds up, the wall of the blood vessel thickens. This narrows the channel within the artery – reducing blood flow. That lessens the amount of oxygen 和 other nutrients reaching the body.

Watch an animation about atherosclerosis.

Where plaque develops, 和 the type of artery affected, varies with each person. Plaque may partially or totally block blood flow through large- or medium-sized arteries anywhere in the body, 包括在心里, 大脑, 骨盆, 腿, 手臂或肾脏. This can lead to conditions such as:

• 冠心病 (plaque in arteries in or leading to the heart)
• 心绞痛 (chest pain from reduced blood flow to the heart muscle)
• Carotid artery disease (plaque in neck arteries supplying blood to the 大脑)
• 外周动脉疾病, or PAD (plaque in arteries of the extremities, especially the 腿)
• 慢性肾病

Plaque presents a double threat

Plaque itself can pose a risk. A piece of plaque can break off 和 be carried by the bloodstream until it gets stuck. And plaque that narrows an artery may lead to a blood clot that sticks to the blood vessel’s inner wall.

In either case, the artery can be blocked, cutting off blood flow.

If the blocked artery supplies the heart or 大脑, a 心脏病 or 中风 发生. If an artery supplying oxygen to the extremities (often the 腿) is blocked, 坏疽, 或者组织死亡, 可能会导致.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) involves plaque buildup in artery walls, which includes conditions such as 急性冠状动脉综合征 和 外周动脉疾病, 和 can cause a 心脏病, 稳定的 or 不稳定性心绞痛、中风、 短暂性脑缺血发作 (TIA)或 主动脉瘤.

Download What does ASCVD mean? (PDF) | 西班牙语(PDF)

Download Tips for Talking to Your Doctor About ASCVD (PDF) | 西班牙语(PDF)

Download Reduce Your Risk of ASCVD (PDF) | 西班牙语(PDF)

How it starts 和 how it progresses

动脉粥样硬化是一种, lifelong progression of changes 在血液里 vessels that may start in childhood 和 get worse faster as you age. 

Many scientists believe plaque begins when an artery’s inner lining becomes damaged. Four possible causes of such damage are:

• 高水平的 cholesterol 和 triglycerides 在血液里
• 高血压
• 吸烟，比如香烟
• 糖尿病

Smoking plays a big role in the progression of atherosclerosis in the aorta (the body’s main artery), coronary arteries 和 arteries in the 腿. Smoking makes fatty deposits more likely to form, 和 it speeds up the growth of plaque.