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Atherosclerosis Research Paper

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Did you know that one of the leading causes of death is heart diseases? Atherosclerosis is a heart disease that is caused with the buildup of plaque inside the arteries preventing blood flow. It has many causes that include high blood pressure and cholesterol. Smoking, insulin resistance, and obesity are also factors that cause atherosclerosis. Finally, high triglycerides and in the blood and inflammation from infections can prompt atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis has many of symptoms including shortness of breath, chest pain, and muscle weakness due to low blood circulation, fatigue, and repetitive confusion due to a blocked artery near the brain. Atherosclerosis is an artery disease that is naturally found in the arteries. It is most commonly …show more content…
The three treatments are: healthy lifestyle changes, medication, and medical procedures. Lifestyle changes usually are used as a method of treatment when atherosclerosis is still in its early stages and can still be prevented. Increased physical activity, healthy diets, and stress management are changes that can be prescribed by cardiologists. The second form of treatment is medications. Statins are the most common drugs used to cure atherosclerosis. Statins are a class of drugs that decrease lipid levels. They generally lower cholesterol levels. Other than that, the medication that may be prescribed would prevent blood clots that may cause stroke or heart attacks. There are also 3 common medical procedures that are used to cure atherosclerosis. The first procedure is called Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, or PCI. PCI opens up the blocked artery by using stents and keeps it open while a catheter removes the plaque. A catheter is a flexible tube that is inserted in the arteries. By removing plaque, it improves blood flow and relieves patient from chest pain. The second procedure is Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting or CABG for short. CABG is an open-heart surgery that removes arteries from other parts of the body and places it in place of the

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