Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels (cerebral atherosclerosis) - symptoms and treatment

Published: 07/23/2021 14:15:00 Updated: 07/23/2021

Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that primarily affects the arteries. Cholesterol is deposited in the walls of blood vessels, resulting in the formation of plaques that interfere with normal blood flow. Internal organs experience a lack of oxygen and nutrients, and with the slow progression of the pathology, their work is gradually disrupted. In the case of acute thrombosis with complete blockage of blood flow, severe complications may develop - myocardial infarction, stroke, gangrene of the lower extremities and other dangerous pathologies.

Symptoms

Among the symptoms of cerebral atherosclerosis are:

• Certain signs of cerebral atherosclerosis include the following symptomatic picture:
• Sleep problems: insomnia, disturbing dreams, difficulty getting up and problems falling asleep again;
• Loss of sensation in half of the body;
• Severe, frequently recurring headaches;
• Increased cholesterol levels in blood tests:
• Changes in gait and loss of coordination;
• Changes in vision, flickering of “spots” before the eyes, tinnitus;
• Emotional changes: irritability, depression, tearfulness and anxiety;
• Hot flashes and sweating of the face;
• Increased fatigue, constant weakness and absent-mindedness;
• Trembling of the chin and limbs;
• Memory impairment, problems with short-term memory;
• The appearance of facial asymmetry. Source: L.S. Bizhanova. Ischemic brain disease // Bulletin of KazNMU, No. 2, 2015, pp. 241-242 Shabir O.

Clinical signs do not appear immediately. This happens long after cholesterol has begun to be deposited. Symptoms appear after the lumen of the arteries and capillaries of the brain narrows so much that 15% or more less blood begins to flow to the organs.

Signs of the disease depend on the stage:

1. In the first stages, the disease makes itself felt only after physical or emotional stress and quickly passes when the patient goes into a state of rest. The main symptom is asthenia, accompanied by fatigue, weakness, decreased alertness, and general lethargy. Rarely, sleep is disturbed, insomnia or daytime sleepiness occurs. Mostly, patients complain of headaches, tinnitus, and memory impairment. In the latter case, patients remember the past well, but do not remember new information well.

2. As the disease progresses, anxiety, suspiciousness, depression, and mood swings appear. Memory impairments become more pronounced, to the point that the patient does not remember what happened to him today. There is a constant headache and noise in the ears, speech is persistently impaired - it becomes unclear, diction changes, patients feel dizzy and have unsteady gait. Hearing and vision also deteriorate, limbs and head shake, and a person stops thinking logically and clearly.

3. At the last stage of atherosclerosis, dementia develops; the patient may behave like a child or become aggressive and tearful. Most people completely or partially lose their memory and cease to be interested in the world around them and the events in it. The ability to navigate in time and space is lost, the patient needs constant care because he loses self-care skills in everyday life. This stage is irreversible.

Examination methods

To establish a diagnosis and clarify the degree of progression of atherosclerosis, the following are usually prescribed:

• clinical blood test (to assess the patient’s general health);
• ultrasound examination (vascular Dopplerography): to assess the condition of the vascular system, identify plaques, blockages, clarify their location, etc.;
• MRI of the brain: to assess processes occurring in the brain and obtain detailed information;
• urine and blood tests to determine cholesterol;
• blood test to determine lipid balance;
• X-ray with contrast: to identify lesions and assess the functioning of the lymphatic and vascular systems.

Diagnostics

A neurologist deals with this disease. First, the doctor collects anamnesis, interviews the patient about complaints, and conducts a series of tests. So, the following factors indicate the presence of the disease:

• The patient cannot look up;
• Reflexes are weakened or excessively increased, most often asymmetrically;
• In a standing position, legs together, arms extended forward, the patient cannot maintain balance;
• When the patient stretches his arms forward, his fingers tremble and become weak;
• Closing his eyes, a person cannot bring his finger to the tip of his nose.

These are indirect signs that only allow us to make an assumption about the presence of atherosclerosis. Therefore, a comprehensive examination is then carried out with consultations of other doctors - ENT, ophthalmologist, etc., depending on the existing disorders. At the medical office, you can get advice from related specialists on any disease, including in cases of suspected cerebral atherosclerosis. Source: Berwick J, Francis SE. Neurovascular dysfunction in vascular dementia, Alzheimer's and atherosclerosis // BMC Neurosci. 2022 Oct 17;19(1):62. doi:10.1186/s12868-018-0465-5.

In addition, it is necessary to undergo a biochemical analysis of the blood lipid spectrum (cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.)

List of instrumental studies:

• REG – radioencephalogram;
• Angiography of cerebral vessels;
• Duplex head scanning;
• Ultrasound Dopplerography of cerebral vessels;
• MRI of cerebral vessels;
• CT – computed tomography;
• EEG – electroencephalogram.

The diagnostic capabilities of a medical doctor allow you to accurately diagnose atherosclerosis, the extent of the disease and choose an effective treatment regimen.

Diagnosis of cerebral atherosclerosis at the Mother and Child clinic

At the Mother and Child clinic, the diagnosis of atherosclerosis is carried out using highly informative methods. We focus on advanced examination methods, thanks to which lesions of the vessel walls are detected even in the early stages.

First of all, the patient visits a therapist, neurologist or vascular surgeon. The doctor conducts a visual examination, conducts a conversation and clarifies the complaints. After collecting primary diagnostic information, an examination plan is drawn up. Both laboratory and instrumental diagnostics are carried out. If necessary, the doctor refers the patient to another specialist and observes the patient together with him.

Treating atherosclerosis

• Shishkin A.A.
• Volkov A.M.
• Kabirov A.V.
• Baranov V.S.

• Shishkin Andrey Andreevich

  Candidate of Medical Sciences. Surgeon, proctologist, phlebologist at SM-Clinic. Proficient in all modern methods of conservative and surgical treatment of diseases of the veins of the lower extremities (including sclerotherapy, EVLT - endovasal laser coagulation, traditional phlebectomy)
  Read more

• Volkov Anton Maksimovich

  Phlebologist, surgeon at SM-Clinic. Performs operations with a modern proprietary method of treating varicose veins using a laser (modified endovenous laser coagulation. M-EVLC).
  Surgical treatment of varicose veins of any complexity (phlebectomy, miniphlebectomy) More details

• Kabirov Alexander Vitalievich

  Cardiovascular surgeon at SM-Clinic. Candidate of Medical Sciences Proficient in all modern methods of conservative and surgical treatment of diseases of the veins of the lower extremities (including sclerotherapy, EVLT - endovasal laser coagulation, traditional phlebectomy)
  More details

• Baranov Vladimir Sergeevich

  Cardiovascular surgeon at SM-Clinic. Candidate of Medical Sciences Treats lower varicose veins using non-surgical and surgical methods (aesthetic sclerotherapy, ECHO sclerotherapy, stem sclerotherapy, phlebectomy, miniphlebectomy, EVLT).
  More details

Complications

Atherosclerosis of the lower extremities is dangerous due to the development of gangrene, muscle atrophy, and thromboembolism of blood vessels of vital organs in the event of plaque rupture.
Cardiac complications with damage to the coronary vessels include myocardial infarction, focal dystrophy of the heart muscle, myocardiosclerosis, and coronary sclerosis.

With obstruction of the mesenteric arteries, ischemic colitis and intestinal gangrene are possible, and secondary arterial hypertension is possible in the renal arteries. Cerebral consequences include hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attacks, and atherosclerotic dementia.

An aortic aneurysm poses a danger to the patient's life, the rupture of which in most cases is fatal.

Treatment

The basis of treatment for this pathology is lifestyle adjustments. This means:

• lipid-restricted diet,
• rejection of bad habits,
• physical activity regimen,
• avoiding stress,
• treatment of chronic diseases.

The focus of drug therapy is the use of lipid-lowering drugs, antiplatelet, antihypertensive and antioxidant drugs, drugs to improve microcirculation and symptomatic therapy. Therapy, as a rule, takes a very long time and depends on the stage at which it was started.

In case of severe stenotic processes, surgical treatment is recommended for the patient. Most often, surgery is performed on the internal carotid arteries. Source: E.A. Shirokov. Stenosing atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries: modern strategies for diagnosing and treating patients // Consilium Medicum, vol. 18, no. 9, 2016, pp. 37-42.

Treatment for this disease is aimed at ensuring that metabolic processes are restored, and harmful cholesterol no longer settles on the walls of blood vessels. At the same time, attention is also paid to restoring blood circulation and normalizing the nutrition of brain tissue.

Drug therapy

This is the most important part of the comprehensive treatment of atherosclerosis. Patients may be prescribed several groups of medications:

• Statins - reduce the size of cholesterol plaques, reduce the risk of narrowing of the main arteries of the brain, and stop the growth of plaques.
• Antiplatelet agents – reduce blood viscosity and prevent blood clots.
• Fibrates are similar in action to statins, but do not affect the size of plaques, but lower the triglyceride content in the blood.
• Means for restoring vascular function.
• Bile acid sequestrants prevent cholesterol from being absorbed from food.
• Nootropics and medications that improve metabolic processes in nervous tissue.
• Hypotensives that stabilize blood pressure and help prevent stroke.
• Vitamin and mineral complexes to improve the general condition of the body. They must contain vitamins A, C, group B and nicotinic acid.

Medicines are taken in long courses, and most of them are taken for life with periodic dosage adjustments.

Surgical treatment

Operation is a last resort, indications for it:

• narrowing of the lumen of the carotid artery by 70% or more;
• condition after a minor stroke;
• recurrent ischemic attacks.

Surgical options:

• bypass - the formation of a vessel bypassing the one affected by cholesterol deposits;
• endarterectomy - a procedure to remove cholesterol plaques along with a small amount of tissue that lines the vessel from the inside;
• stenting using endoscopic technology - an expanding structure impregnated with a composition that dissolves cholesterol is installed in the vessel.

Operations can be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia. An anesthesiologist is consulted before the operation. The length of hospital stay varies depending on the technique, as do recommendations for the recovery period. SM-Clinic doctors inform patients in detail about all the nuances and are ready to answer any questions related to treatment at the initial consultation. Consultation on the operation is free of charge.

You can find out more about discounts on preoperative examinations by following the link.

Diet

Changing your diet is also a way to improve your well-being and is a great help for other treatment methods. Atherosclerosis very often progresses precisely against the background of poor nutrition and lifestyle, so it is necessary

• follow a certain diet:
• reduce consumption of red and fatty meats and meat in general;
• limit the consumption of confectionery products and baked goods;
• eat as few egg yolks as possible;
• limit solid vegetable fats – margarine – in the diet;
• completely eliminate alcohol, sausages, fast food, and canned food.

Recommended products include vegetables (fresh, pickled, dried), cereals (rice, buckwheat, barley, millet, oats, flax, etc.), dried, fresh and dried fruits, turkey and chicken fillets, river and sea fish.

You need to eat at least 5 times a day at the same time in small portions. It is necessary to avoid fried foods and prepare food using the methods of boiling, steaming, stewing, and baking.

2. Reasons

To date, the etiopathogenetic mechanism of atherosclerosis continues to be the subject of intensive study and discussion. About ten main hypotheses are considered (viral, hereditary, chlamydia, autoimmune, etc.), each of which has the right to exist and finds well-reasoned confirmation. Perhaps atherosclerosis refers to the so-called. polyetiological, or multi-cause processes, or against the background of these conditions, is triggered by some common, not yet known trigger factor. However, risk factors have been quite reliably established that significantly increase this likelihood:

• - smoking and drinking alcohol;
• — physical inactivity combined with overeating and obesity;
• - arterial hypertension;
• - situations of chronic distress;
• - age-related hormonal changes;
• - diabetes;
• — certain metabolic disorders (metabolism), especially in relation to fats and proteins;
• - “viscosity” of blood (increased coagulability).

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Possible risks associated with atherosclerosis

The most dangerous complication is a stroke. If at the same time the patient has poor eating habits, is overweight, moves little and is regularly exposed to stress, then with an 80% probability he will become disabled as a result, unable to care for himself. The mortality rate is also high.

Prevention

To prevent cerebral atherosclerosis, you need to avoid smoking, follow a diet, and keep yourself in good shape with moderate physical activity. It is very important to establish a psycho-emotional background, protect yourself from stress, and if this is not possible, then take courses of sedatives and amino acids, for example Glycine.

* You can read more about the conditions here - Treatment on credit or in installments.

Prevention

Below are a few useful habits that will help significantly reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis:

• to give up smoking;
• nutrition balanced in composition of nutrients;
• correction and maintenance of optimal body weight;
• annual preventive monitoring of lipid and blood sugar levels.

The diagnostic capabilities of our center allow us to establish a diagnosis quickly and accurately. Based on the results of the examination, you will be advised by experienced neurologists, whose knowledge has helped save hundreds of patients.

Also, individual health monitoring programs have been developed on the basis of the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia.

• for men (under 40 years old, over 40 years old, standard);
• for women (under 40 years old, over 40 years old, standard based on age and optimal)

Don't put off taking care of your health. Call us or make an appointment to assess your risk of atherosclerosis and receive comprehensive recommendations.