Medical Questions » Arteries and Veins Questions » Question No. 79
| Question: | My doctor says I have hardening of the arteries. What is this? |
| Answer: | If excess levels of cholesterol occur in the bloodstream due to a poor diet or hereditary reasons, it may form deposits on the inside of the arteries. This occurs particularly at points of turbulence where an artery divides or bends.
If a surgeon feels these arteries, they are thicker and firmer than normal, and thus the term ' hardening of the arteries' . Once it has occurred, medications can be used in mild cases to very slowly remove some of the cholesterol plaques, but in severe cases the only treatment is surgery to remove the deposits of cholesterol or bypass any blockage that may be caused by the deposits.
It can be a quite serious disease if arteries supplying vital organs such as the heart and brain become narrowed or blocked. |
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