What are the differences among arterial calcification, sclerosis, and atherosclerosis? Which one is more dangerous?

A friend left a message to Huazi, asking what the differences are between arterial calcification, arteriosclerosis, and atherosclerosis, and which one is more dangerous? Huazi said that these three conditions are all common vascular diseases. Although they are only different in a few words, the actual differences are quite large.

Among them, atherosclerosis is more dangerous than arteriosclerosis and arterial calcification, and brings the most adverse consequences. Arterial calcification is relatively a stable state and is the least dangerous.

1. Arteriosclerosis is related to aging. The human body's arteries have a certain elasticity, but with aging, the elasticity of the arteries will gradually weaken. The consequence is that the intima of the arteries thickens, the diameter of the arteries becomes smaller, the resistance to blood flow increases, and blood pressure rises. When blood pressure rises, it will aggravate the process of arteriosclerosis. The two are mutually causal and will form a vicious cycle.

The blood pressure characteristics of arteriosclerosis are that the high pressure increases, the low pressure remains unchanged or decreases, and the pressure difference increases, which is the main feature of senile hypertension. In addition to high blood pressure, smoking can also accelerate the progression of arteriosclerosis. Therefore, some middle-aged people in their 40s and 50s, if they have high blood pressure and do not control it, or have the habit of smoking, will also develop severe arteriosclerosis. The treatment methods for arteriosclerosis are mainly to control blood pressure and quit smoking.

2. Atherosclerosis is the most dangerous. Many people are diagnosed with atherosclerosis, which is the most dangerous and is a predisposing factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction. The reason for its occurrence is that after the intima of the artery is damaged, cholesterol in the blood enters the intima of the artery and is swallowed by macrophages to form foam cells, forming hardened plaques.

If you cut open a plaque, you will see many yellowish, small, granular foam cells, just like millet porridge, so it is called atherosclerosis. Unstable atherosclerotic plaques are prone to rupture on the surface, inducing platelet aggregation to form thrombi and causing disease. Therefore, atherosclerotic plaques need to be stabilized with statins and antiplatelet drugs to prevent thrombosis.

3. Arterial calcification is a "scar" on the blood vessels. When some people have an artery examination, they will find calcification points, which is called arterial calcification. This kind of calcification is the deposition of calcium ions in tissue cells after the artery is damaged and repaired. It can also be understood that arterial calcification is the "scar" formed after the artery is damaged and repaired.

After calcification is formed, it usually means that the inflammatory response of the local injury has stabilized. For example, the calcification foci formed by tuberculosis or the calcification points in the male prostate are basically traces left after the inflammation has healed, which is a relatively stable state. Now there is a view that if arterial calcification occurs on the basis of atherosclerosis, it will have a certain protective effect on the artery itself to a certain extent, and the possibility of plaque rupture will be reduced.

4. Do a good job in preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It is difficult for us to completely avoid the occurrence of arteriosclerosis, calcification, and atherosclerosis, but we can control blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar through the use of medications, quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, delay the progression of the disease, and protect our blood vessels.

The following standards must be met for the control of the "three highs":

Keep blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg, preferably below 130/80 mmHg.

Control the low-density cholesterol lipoprotein (LDL-C) in blood lipids below 2.6mmol/L, preferably below 1.8mmol/L; triglycerides below 2.26mmol/L.

Lower fasting blood sugar to below 7mmol/L, postprandial blood sugar peak to less than 11.1mmol/L, and glycosylated hemoglobin to less than 6.5%.

To sum up, among arteriosclerosis, arterial calcification and atherosclerosis, atherosclerosis is the most dangerous and needs to be actively controlled. Arterial calcification generally does not increase the probability of disease, but may increase the stability of damaged arteries. To prevent diseases, you need to use drugs under the guidance of a doctor. If you have any questions about medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist in time. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.