Atherosclerosis
Our atherosclerosis specialists are here for you. Our team of lipid doctors near you are dedicated to supporting your success and ensuring that you regain your heart health and overall wellness.
What Is Atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is the formation of fatty deposits called plaques in the walls of arteries, causing them to stiffen, narrow, and sometimes become blocked. It begins with damage to the inner lining of an artery due to factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and/or smoking. Cholesterol (mainly low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)) can then penetrate the artery wall, leading to inflammation and plaque formation.
With continued exposure to risk factors, atherosclerosis will progress. This may be asymptomatic until the plaque is large enough to cause significant narrowing of the artery and restriction of blood flow. Ongoing damage and inflammation may eventually degrade the plaque, leading to acute rupture and blood clotting. A heart attack is when this occurs in a coronary artery, which supplies the heart muscle. A stroke is when this occurs in a carotid or cerebral artery, which supply the brain. This process may also occur in the arteries supplying the legs (leading to peripheral arterial disease), or the arteries supplying the abdominal organs.
What Are the Causes of Atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is caused by a combination of risk factors, including:
Lifestyle factors: unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution
Physiological factors: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and high blood sugar
Other medical conditions: diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, chronic inflammatory disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and premature menopause
Genetic factors: familial lipid disorders
Socio-economic factors: ageing, income, and urbanization
Other factors: family history, ethnic background, and sex
What Are the Treatments and Therapies for Atherosclerosis?
There are several things you can do to prevent the onset of atherosclerosis (primary prevention) and to prevent its progression once it has started (secondary prevention):
Lifestyle interventions: dietary modifications (e.g., DASH or Mediterranean diets), regular physical activity, smoking cessation, and stress management
Pharmacologic treatments: lipid-lowering medications (e.g., statins), antihypertensives, antidiabetic medications, and/or anticoagulants
Other: procedures (e.g., stents) or surgeries (e.g., bypass) to open up arterial blockages may be needed in severe cases
How Can Well by Messer Help You with Atherosclerosis?
Our physicians at Well by Messer are experts in assessing risk for atherosclerosis. We take a thorough personal and family history, order advanced blood testing (e.g., lipoprotein(a), apolipoprotein B, high sensitivity C-reactive protein), and obtain imaging to detect asymptomatic, or subclinical, atherosclerosis (e.g., coronary artery calcium scoring, carotid artery ultrasound). Our team of physicians, dietitians, and personal trainers work with patients to control the underlying risk factors for atherosclerosis. We take a multimodal approach using both lifestyle modifications and medications when needed. If patients are experiencing symptoms of atherosclerosis, referrals for additional imaging or cardiology consultation are made.
Meet Your Well by Messer Team
Under the leadership of top endocrinologist in New York, Dr. Caroline Messer, our caring and talented team of board-certified endocrinologists (adult and pediatric), internists, gynecologists, urologists, psychologists, plastic surgeons, dietitians, and personal trainers will be dedicated to supporting your long-term health & wellness at our locations in Manhattan, Greenwich (CT), Great Neck (Long Island) and soon to be Miami (FL)!
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