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Signs of Atherosclerosis

Contents
  1. Atherosclerosis: Introduction
  2. Symptoms of Atherosclerosis
  3. Tests to Confirm Diagnosis
  4. Home Diagnostic Testing
  5. Failure to Diagnose
  6. Alternative Diagnoses
  7. Misdiagnosis
  8. Complications
  9. More about Symptoms
  10. Article Excerpts
  11. Medical articles

Symptoms of Atherosclerosis

The list of medical symptoms mentioned in various sources for Atherosclerosis may include:

List of 20 Atherosclerosis Symptoms

Note that Atherosclerosis symptoms usually refers to various medical symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Atherosclerosis signs may often refer to those signs that are only noticable by a doctor.

Signs or Symptoms of Atherosclerosis:

There are usually no symptoms until one or more arteries are so clogged with plaque that blood flow is severely reduced. This reduced flow of blood and oxygen to some part of the body (such as the heart) is called ischemia and may cause pain or discomfort. Some people have no symptoms until a blood clot forms, completely blocks an already narrowed artery, and causes a heart attack or stroke.

The symptoms you have depend on which arteries are badly clogged and what part of the body is affected by the reduced flow of blood.

  • If arteries taking blood to your heart muscle are affected, you have coronary artery disease (CAD). You may have chest pain called angina that happens when you exert yourself and goes away when you rest. You could also have a heart attack.

  • If arteries taking blood to your brain are affected, you have cerebrovascular disease. You could have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or a stroke.

  • If arteries taking blood to your legs are affected, you have peripheral arterial disease (PAD). You may have pain in the calf or thigh muscle called intermittent claudication that happens when you walk. This kind of pain goes away when you stop and rest.

All of these conditions are serious and should not be ignored. Arteries taking blood to the intestines, the kidneys, or other organs can also become clogged by plaque. This can sometimes lead to a medical emergency similar to a heart attack or stroke. Atherosclerosis can also cause erectile dysfunction in men. (Source: excerpt from ATHEROSCLEROSIS: NWHIC)

More Symptoms of Atherosclerosis:

More detailed symptom information may be found on the symptoms of Atherosclerosis article. In addition to the above medical information, to get a full picture of the possible signs or symptoms of this condition and also possibly the signs and symptoms of its related medical conditions, it may be necessary to examine symptoms that may be caused by:

Medical articles on signs and symptoms:

These general reference articles may be related to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

What are the signs of Atherosclerosis?

The phrase "signs of Atherosclerosis" should, strictly speaking, refer only to those signs and symptoms of Atherosclerosis that are not readily apparent to the patient. The word "symptoms of Atherosclerosis" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Atherosclerosis.

The signs and symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Atherosclerosis. This medical information about signs and symptoms for Atherosclerosis has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Atherosclerosis signs or Atherosclerosis symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Atherosclerosis may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Atherosclerosis symptoms.


 » Next page: Complications of Atherosclerosis

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