Dangers of Vascular Cholesterol Buildup

Suhas Nittoor

What is plaque and where is it?

When you hear the word “plaque,” what do you think? Maybe, you know that if you do not brush or floss your teeth regularly, food particles can build up on your teeth, turning into plaque. Plaque is a bacterial substance. It can not only build up on teeth, but it also can accumulate in arteries, which is much more severe.

What are arteries and why are they important?

Arteries are tubes in which red blood cells deliver oxygenated blood to various body parts. These arteries are vital to survival because if they get blocked, the red blood cells cannot provide the needed oxygenated blood, causing that oxygen-deprived part of the body to stop functioning. There are two main types of arteries: coronary arteries and carotid arteries. Coronary arteries give blood to the heart, and carotid arteries give blood to the brain. If a coronary artery gets blocked, then blood cannot supply the heart, causing significant complications, such as a heart attack, or myocardial infarction. If the heart attack does not get treated in time, then cardiac arrest may ensue, causing the heart’s electrical system to malfunction. Now, if a carotid artery gets blocked, then neurons in the brain will begin to die, and a stroke will occur. These major cardiac events need to be treated as soon as possible.

What does cholesterol have to do with this?

There are two primary types of cholesterol: LDL, low-density lipoprotein, and HDL, high-density lipoprotein. LDL is harmful to bodies because this type of cholesterol can build up in arteries and create plaque. This process is known as atherosclerosis. However, HDL helps the liver excrete cholesterol from the body. Therefore, it is better to have high HDL and low LDL values. Much of the cholesterol that gets into arteries comes from foods, and when LDL cholesterol attaches itself to the walls of arteries, plaque forms and builds up, restricting blood flow. As a result of this, more force and pressure are put on the artery walls by red blood cells as part of the artery has been blocked. This increases blood pressure and can lead to major adverse cardiac events, such as heart attacks, strokes, etc.

The buildup of LDL cholesterol plaque (in yellow) in the artery Image source: https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/news-events/research-matters/2016/20160322-hdl _0.jpg

How can we decrease and prevent significant plaque buildup?

Ultimately, the best way to prevent atherosclerosis or decrease its complications is to reduce the intake of high cholesterol or high saturated fatty foods. For example, full-fat dairy foods, such as full-fat yogurt, red meat, and fried foods tend to have high levels of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, and saturated fats. In addition to LDL cholesterol, saturated fats can also form plaque in the arteries. There are also medications, such as atorvastatin, which can decrease LDL levels by preventing a special enzyme in the liver from increasing the production of cholesterol. Along with making better nutritional choices, you should also regularly exercise as doing so comes with many benefits. Regular moderate exercise can burn LDL cholesterol, increase HDL levels, and burn saturated fats. It can also lead to weight loss.

Works Cited

“The Arteries (Human Anatomy): Picture, Definition, Conditions, & More.” WebMD, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/heart/picture-of-the-arteries#:~:text=The%20arteries%2 0are%20the%20blood,a%20smooth%20tissue%20called%20endothelium. 2. “Can We Reduce Vascular Plaque Buildup?” Harvard Health, 17 Sept. 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/can-we-reduce-vascular-plaque-buil dup#:~:text=The%20key%20is%20lowering%20LDL%20and%20making%20lifes tyle%20changes.&text=%22Making%20plaque%20disappear%20is%20not,the% 20wall%20of%20the%20artery. 3. Kaputk. “5 High-Cholesterol Foods to Avoid - and Which Ones You Should Eat.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 17 Nov. 2021, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/high-cholesterol-foods-to-eat-and-avoid/. 4. “LDL & HDL: Good & Bad Cholesterol.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/ldl_hdl.htm.