List of Partners vendors. Arteries are vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to every other part of your body. In the best-case scenario.
For many people, this ideal does not last long. Blockages in the arteries of the heart get the most attention since they can cause heart attacks. However, arterial blockages can strike anywhere. The symptoms of clogged arteries depend on where the blockage occurs and which body part is affected. Clogged arteries are caused by atherosclerosis, which develops over time as plaques formed from fats, minerals, cholesterol , and more build up inside the walls of your arteries.
These buildups cause the inner tunnels, called lumens, of the arteries to become smaller and narrower. As a result, the heart has to use more pressure to pump blood through smaller vessels.
This increases blood pressure and puts strain on the pumping ability of the heart. You may also notice that different parts of your body begin to suffer from a reduced supply of oxygenated blood, especially if the artery becomes completely clogged. Your symptoms depend on where the blockage occurs and what part of your body receives a reduced blood supply. Symptoms of blocked or clogged arteries can include:.
In some cases, a clogged artery can cause serious symptoms and require emergency care. This primarily applies when the clogged artery is one that is supplying blood to a vital organ like the brain or heart.
Symptoms that can signal a medical emergency include:. Call or seek emergency medical care immediately if you or someone you are with has any of these symptoms. Clogged arteries are caused by a buildup of plaque in your arteries. Plaque is usually made up of a few substances, including minerals like calcium, or fats and cholesterol. High cholesterol levels can lead to this buildup of plaques. In some cases, high cholesterol is genetic, but it is mostly linked to diet and lifestyle choices.
A diet that is high in fats and cholesterol is just one of the things that can contribute to a buildup of plaques and clogged arteries. Other risk factors for clogged arteries can include:. Diagnosing arterial problems may begin with your primary care doctor, but if a blockage is suspected, you will most likely be referred to a cardiologist or vascular specialist. Who you see depends a lot on where the blockage is and what problems it is causing. For example, if you have a blockage in an artery that feeds your brain, you may also need to see a neurologist.
Your diagnosis will begin with a physical exam, as well as a review of your personal and family medical history. Additional testing may be done to pinpoint the location and degree of the blockage. Testing can include:. These tests can be used to measure the amount of fats and cholesterol in your blood, how much resistance your heart faces when pumping blood blood pressure , how well oxygen-rich blood is reaching certain parts of the body, and the degree of damage to areas of the body where there is a clogged artery.
Treating clogged arteries should be done with a holistic approach. Your doctor will first address the problems that led to the clogged artery. Lifestyle changes are key, and may include:. Medications may be used to help you manage conditions that can cause clogged arteries, including:.
You may also be prescribed medications like anticoagulants or antiplatelets to help prevent complications of clogged arteries. If the blockage is more severe, a surgeon may need to help clear the artery mechanically. This can be done in several ways, usually with a minimally invasive technique that involves a catheter fed into the vessel.
Some techniques to clear a clogged artery include:. In more severe cases, you may have to undergo bypass surgery, where a piece of a vessel is taken from one part of the body and transplanted to replace the damaged or blocked area. The most concerning complications of clogged arteries are heart attack and stroke.
A heart attack can occur when there is blockage in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. When a blockage affects the brain, this is called an ischemic stroke. Plaque is a mixture of fat, calcium , cholesterol , and waste from the cells in the body. This mix can stick to the walls of the arteries, making these blood vessels narrower. When this happens, it is called atherosclerosis.
Clogged or blocked arteries can stop fresh blood from reaching parts of the body, which can put a person at risk of a heart attack , heart failure , or stroke. In many cases, people can prevent a plaque buildup and atherosclerosis. Some medical treatments are available to help clear the arteries, but they are invasive. The best treatment is usually prevention, as removing plaque is much more difficult than preventing it from occurring.
Eating a heart-healthful diet and regularly exercising can be powerful tools for preventing clogged arteries. These disciplines also make a person feel better as time goes on. The type of fat a person eats can affect plaque in the arteries. This is because these kinds of fats contain high levels of LDL cholesterol, which is the main material of plaque in the arteries. Along with trans fats, saturated fats may also affect heart health, though the evidence for this is mixed.
Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, such as beef, pork, and dairy, but also in coconut oil and palm oil. One review of scientific studies found there was a small but possibly important reduction in the risk of cardiovascular issues when people cut down on saturated fats and replaced them with unsaturated fats. Another review study suggests that people should avoid saturated fats because they increase LDL cholesterol in the body, which is a direct cause of heart issues.
Unsaturated fats are the good fats. They contain HDL cholesterol, which can help to take bad cholesterol from the arteries before it turns into plaque. According to the AHA, unsaturated fats may help improve blood cholesterol when eaten instead of trans or saturated fats.
Drinking teas, such as green or black tea, rooibos tea, or ginger tea may be good heart-healthy substitutes for other beverages. A study from found that drinking 6 cups of rooibos tea per day for 6 weeks helped to lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood in adults who were at risk for heart diseases.
Green tea can also help. A review reported that green tea and its extracts could lower LDL cholesterol in the blood, though this did not affect HDL cholesterol. Ginger supplementation may also improve significant markers that can lead to cardiovascular events, according to a study. Ginger root can be found as a supplement, but people can also brew it in hot water, and drink it as a tea.
A range of herbal teas is available for purchase online. Obesity is a risk factor for plaque buildup and heart disease. In addition to eating a healthful diet, regularly exercising may help a person to lose weight and reduce their risk of heart problems. Taking part in cardiovascular exercise, otherwise known as cardio, on a regular basis may also help strengthen the heart and reduce plaque. Sometimes there can be warning signs that an artery is blocked before it causes a serious event.
Angina occurs when there is a blockage in a blood vessel supplying the heart. It can cause symptoms such as chest pain, breathlessness, heart palpitations and sweating, which may be triggered by physical activity. Transient Ischemic Attacks TIAs or mini-strokes can occur when there is a blockage affecting the brain.
The symptoms can include temporary weakness on one side of your body, loss of vision in one eye, or slurred speech. Angina can be a sign that you are at risk of a heart attack while a TIA is a warning that you are at risk of a major stroke, so it is vital to take these symptoms seriously and see a doctor.
Cardiac screening can reveal whether you are at risk of clogged arteries by testing for issues such as high cholesterol that can increase the chances of fatty deposits accumulating in your blood vessels.
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