What are the symptoms of atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis is a common disease among middle-aged and elderly people, which seriously affects their quality of life in their later years. It often manifests itself in mental and physical decline, or symptoms such as widening and hardening of the temporal artery, radial artery, and brachial artery.

(I) It is generally manifested by a decline in mental and physical strength. Palpation of the body's surface arteries, such as the temporal artery, radial artery, and brachial artery, may reveal that they have become wider, longer, tortuous, and hardened.

(ii) Most cases of aortic atherosclerosis have no specific symptoms. During percussion, it can be found that the aortic dullness area behind the sternal manubrium is widened; the second heart sound in the aortic valve area is hyperactive and has a metallic tone, and there is a systolic murmur. The systolic blood pressure is increased, the pulse pressure is widened, and the radial artery palpation may be similar to a rapid pulse. X-ray examination shows that the aortic knot bulges to the upper left, the aorta is dilated and twisted, and sometimes calcium deposits can be seen in flake-like or arc-shaped plaques.

(III) Angina pectoris in coronary heart disease manifests as a squeezing sensation behind the sternum, while myocardial infarction manifests as a persistent and severe feeling of oppression and stuffiness. Many patients have extensive coronary artery blockage but have never felt angina pectoris, and some patients do not even feel angina pectoris during myocardial infarction. Some patients were diagnosed with sudden cardiac death, while others were diagnosed with ischemia on the electrocardiogram, arrhythmia, or a positive exercise test during coronary angiography.

(IV) Cerebral arteriosclerosis Cerebral arteriosclerosis often occurs in middle-aged and elderly people over 40 years old, more often in men than in women. It is more common in people with hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, long-term smoking, drinking and mental stress. Due to long-term chronic insufficient blood supply to the brain, brain function declines.

(V) Carotid artery sclerosis The carotid artery includes the common carotid artery and its branches, namely the internal carotid artery and the external carotid artery. Carotid artery stenosis caused by carotid artery sclerosis is an important risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Since most cases of carotid artery sclerosis have no clinical symptoms, they are often overlooked. Some patients have clinical symptoms, including transient or persistent monocular blindness and transient cerebral ischemic attack. The so-called transience means short-term and temporary.

(6) Renal artery sclerosis is not common in clinical practice, but it can cause refractory hypertension. People over 55 years old who suddenly develop hypertension should consider the possibility of this disease. If renal artery thrombosis occurs, it may cause pain in the kidney area, urinary retention, fever, etc.