What are the Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis?

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Risk factors for developing atherosclerosis include:

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes mellitus

• Hypercholesterolaemia

• Obesity

• Increasing age

• Smoking

• Family history or coronary artery disease

• Heavy alcohol intake

What are the Symptoms of Atherosclerosis?

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Atherosclerosis can be present for many years without causing any symptoms, surfacing typically in middle aged individuals and in the elderly.  The kind of symptoms experienced really depend on the location of the blocked arteries.

The following are a list of conditions caused by atherosclerotic plaque build-up:

• Coronary artery disease (angina, heart attacks, sudden cardiac death)

• Cerebrovascular disease (stroke)

• Kidney disease

• Mesenteric artery ischaemia

• Peripheral artery disease

• Abdominal and Thoracic artery aneurysms