How can a healthy blood vessel become blocked? Here are the key points to prevent blood vessel blockage!

Expert of this article: Fang Jie, Associate Chief Physician, Vascular Surgery Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

"Why is a healthy blood vessel blocked?" Many patients will have this question when they are diagnosed with blood vessel blockage.

You should know that the patency of blood vessels is closely related to human health and life span. Once blood vessels are blocked, they will cause varying degrees of damage to the body, which may be serious or even life-threatening.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

In short, vascular problems must be taken seriously. The more relevant knowledge you have, the better your health will be.

Why does blood vessel blockage occur? What are the symptoms of blood vessel blockage? How to treat and prevent it? Let's share some basic knowledge for you.

Why do healthy blood vessels become blocked?

The human heart is like a car engine, which has been beating non-stop since we were born in our mother's body. The arteries in the human body are like roads leading to various parts of the body, transporting blood to various organs throughout the body. When these roads become aged or damaged, traffic jams may occur. Similarly, our blood vessels may also become blocked.

The arteries of young people or infants are very elastic, the inside of the blood vessels is very smooth, there is no damage, and there is no accumulation of harmful substances, so they are very unobstructed and generally do not get blocked. As we age, the elasticity of the arteries decreases, and harmful substances accumulate in the body, and the blood vessels will slowly get blocked.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Chronic blockage is our most common disease, and the professional term is called atherosclerotic occlusive disease. Aging, high blood pressure, high blood fat, diabetes, smoking and other factors can cause arterial blockage, which will cause corresponding harm.

Acute blockage, professionally called arterial embolism, is often caused by the detachment of dirt (blood clots) inside the heart, which leads to a very acute blockage of blood vessels. It has an acute onset and can cause rapid damage.

What effects does blood vessel blockage have on the body?

Blood vessel blockage means that the organs supplied by the arteries will no longer have blood supply, leading to organ ischemia and hunger. If a person does not eat for a long time, he will starve to death; if an organ does not have blood supply for a long time, it will atrophy and stop working.

If vital organs, such as the heart and brain, stop working, a person will die. If other internal organs, such as the kidneys, stop working, it will cause kidney failure and require dialysis to survive.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Generally speaking, blood vessel blockage is a slow process, and the body will slowly change, giving us enough time to pay attention, prevent and change. If left unchecked, harm will occur sooner or later, and it will be a huge harm.

Generally speaking, each disease has three major treatment methods, namely drug therapy, interventional therapy and surgical treatment, but for more detailed information, you still need to wait for the doctor to give specific treatment suggestions based on your personal situation. The following table is the relevant knowledge about common arterial blockages, which you can refer to for understanding.

What should I do if my blood vessels are blocked?

If you find that your blood vessels are blocked, don't panic and go to the relevant department of the hospital (cardiology, vascular surgery, neurology, etc.) in time.

First, you need to know which blood vessel is blocked. Second, you need to know how serious the blockage is. Different degrees of blood vessel blockage require different treatments, and they cannot be generalized. There is no best treatment, only the treatment that suits you best.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

To prevent blood vessel blockage, it is very important to take proactive measures. To prevent blood vessel blockage, you should exercise more, control your weight, and have a regular work and rest schedule; control high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids; eat more fish, vegetables, and fruits, eat less fried foods, eat less salt, quit smoking, and limit alcohol.

The watermarked images in this article are from the copyright gallery, and the image content is not authorized for reprinting