Depending on the circumstances, additional testing may be appropriate.
When Symptoms Become an Emergency
Certain symptoms should never be monitored casually at home.
Call emergency medical services if you experience symptoms that could indicate a heart attack or stroke, such as:
- Severe or persistent chest pressure or pain.
- Severe difficulty breathing.
- Fainting or loss of consciousness.
- Sudden weakness or numbness, especially on one side.
- Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
- Sudden facial drooping.
- Sudden severe confusion.
- Sudden vision loss.
- Severe, unexplained symptoms accompanied by sweating or nausea.
Fast treatment can make a major difference in emergencies.
How Arteries Become Narrowed
Atherosclerosis develops when plaque accumulates within artery walls.
Plaque can contain cholesterol, fats, cellular debris, and other substances.
Over time, plaque can narrow the artery and restrict blood flow.
In some cases, a plaque can rupture and trigger formation of a blood clot.
That clot can suddenly block blood flow and cause a heart attack or stroke.
This is why cardiovascular prevention is important even before symptoms appear.
Risk Factors Matter
Some factors increase the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis.
These include:
- High blood pressure.
- High LDL cholesterol.
- Diabetes.
- Smoking.
- Physical inactivity.
- Obesity.
- Increasing age.
- A family history of cardiovascular disease.
- Certain chronic inflammatory conditions.
Some risk factors cannot be changed.
Others can.
