4 Silent Signals for Clogged Arteries

Your body is constantly sending signals for clogged arteries, which indicates presence of coronary heart disease. According to vascular surgeons, the lesser-known warning signs of clogged arteries include:

1. Baldness especially at the crown of the head

2. Ear crease resulting from poor circulation to the arteries

3. Calf pain

4. Erectile Dysfunction which can be due to a clogged artery in the pelvis

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What Causes Clogging of Arteries?

Arteries as we all know, carry oxygenated blood to all the parts of our body. In normal arteries, the arteries’ walls will be smooth and blood will flow through them without any hindrance. For some people, a substance called plaque gets deposited on the artery walls. This plaque will obstruct the normal flow of blood. Sometimes blood flow can also be stopped completely by the plaque. The dangers of this arterial plaque formation include heart attack, stroke and sometimes when untreated it can even prove fatal.The plaque is made up of fats and cholesterol along with a few other substances.

Symptoms:

The plaque deposition usually remains unnoticed until it manifests as a heart attack or stroke. The plaque deposition can happen in any artery of the body (not limited to the heart) and depending on the artery affected, the symptoms vary.

• Heart: Chest pain
• Brain: Paralysis of the arms/legs, unclear speech, loss of sight in one eye and facial palsy. If timely treatment is not given, it might result in a stroke.
• Legs: Pain in the calf region of the leg
• Kidney: Kidney failure, hypertension

Note, this blog post was updated on March 26, 2021

Tests to Detect Artery Blockage:

• CT scan to check calcium deposition on artery walls.
• Checking cholesterol levels.
• ECG or electrocardiogram to check the electrical signals generated by the heart.
• Treadmill test to check on the heart’s performance when subjected to stress.
• Echocardiogram that checks on the heart’s pumping action using sound waves.
• An angiogram in which a dye is injected into the artery and x-rays of the arteries taken to reveal the presence of a block.

 Treatment:

The treatment prescribed by a vascular surgeon will depend upon the severity of the blockage. Treatment options may vary from lifestyle modifications to surgical interventions and include the following:

• Developing healthy food habits
• Keeping blood sugar and cholesterol in check
• Being physically active
• Quitting smoking
• Controlling stress
• Medication to reduce cholesterol and control hypertension
• Blood thinners to reduce the probability of clot formation
• Surgical intervention includes placement of stent, bypass surgery and angioplasty

Early detection is paramount in the management of clogged arteries. If you experience any of the mentioned symptoms, do not delay consulting with a cardiologist. If you are unsure about which doctor to see, a simple online search may assist in narrowing down options. You can also consider Kauvery Hospital, a leading healthcare provider with branches in Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli, and Trichy, for comprehensive care by a team of vascular surgeons.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the silent signals of clogged arteries?

The silent signals of clogged arteries include baldness at the crown of the head, ear creases, calf pain, and erectile dysfunction.
2. What causes arteries to become clogged?

Arteries become clogged due to the buildup of plaque, which is composed of fats, cholesterol, and other substances, obstructing the normal flow of blood.

3. What are the symptoms of artery blockage in different parts of the body?

Heart: Chest pain

Brain: Paralysis, unclear speech, loss of sight in one eye, facial palsy

Legs: Calf pain

Kidneys: Kidney failure, hypertension

4. How can artery blockages be detected?

Tests to detect artery blockages include CT scans, cholesterol level checks, ECG, treadmill tests, echocardiograms, and angiograms.

5. What are the treatment options for clogged arteries?

 Treatment options include lifestyle changes, medication to reduce cholesterol and control hypertension, blood thinners, and surgical interventions such as stent placement, bypass surgery, and angioplasty.

6. Why is early detection of clogged arteries important?

Early detection is crucial to managing clogged arteries and preventing severe complications like heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure.

Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

Chennai – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801