What are the clinical manifestations of coronary atherosclerotic plaques?

The occurrence of coronary atherosclerotic plaques requires our special attention, and we must also understand its symptoms in life, whether it will cause mental and physical decline, or cause coronary heart disease, heart disease and other problems.

(I) General manifestations: Mental and physical decline may occur.

(ii) Aortic atherosclerosis: Most cases have no specific symptoms. The most important consequence of aortic atherosclerosis is the formation of aortic aneurysm, which is most common in the abdominal aorta below the renal artery opening, followed by the aortic arch and descending aorta. Once an aortic aneurysm ruptures, it can be rapidly fatal. Arterial dissection may also occur on the basis of atherosclerosis.

(iii) Coronary artery atherosclerosis: Coronary artery atherosclerosis causes heart disease (coronary heart disease) by narrowing or blocking the blood vessel lumen, or (and) myocardial ischemia, hypoxia or necrosis due to functional changes (spasm) of the coronary arteries. Coronary heart disease is the most common type of organ disease caused by atherosclerosis and is also a common disease that seriously endangers human health.

(IV) Cerebral arteriosclerosis: Cerebral arteriosclerosis most commonly affects the internal carotid artery, basilar artery and spinal artery. The internal carotid artery entering the brain is a particularly prone area, and lesions are mostly concentrated at the bifurcation of blood vessels. Atherosclerotic plaques cause vascular stenosis, insufficient blood supply to the brain, or local thrombosis or plaque rupture, and the shedding of fragments causes cerebrovascular accidents (ischemic stroke) such as cerebral embolism. When long-term chronic cerebral ischemia causes brain atrophy, it can develop into vascular dementia.

(V) Renal artery atherosclerosis : 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 can cause pain in the kidney area, urinary retention, fever, etc. Long-term renal ischemia can cause renal atrophy and progress to renal failure.