Atherosclerosis is a systemic process that the artery wall tone, and diminish the great
affects various blood vessels. It manifests vessels lumen that will increase the blood
itself, in general, in abnormal accumula- flow speed. However, the plaques make it
tion of cholesterol in the form of plaques very ineffective, that is why the heart will
along arterial walls. It is important to bear have to pump more blood, too. This may re-
in mind that cholesterol is used by the body sult in left ventricular myocardial hypertro-
to temporarily repair blood vessels. In other phy. Muscle mass of the left ventricle wall
words, cholesterol is a kind of patch that will increase so that the more toned muscle
appears when an untrained arterial wall is would push the blood more effectively. All
damaged under pressure. When the pres- the above compensates the plaque prob-
sure is systematic, this patch grows in size lem, but only for a while. As time goes by, it
and limits the blood flow. What other fac- doesn’t help at all, ischemia occurs, the risk
tors influence this process, except genetic of hypercoagulability increases and, sooner
factors and excessive coffee consumption? or later, due to stress vasospasm develops
These include hypodynamia and substance and impairs blood circulation in the kidneys,
abuse. A person who has a sedentary way lungs, spleen, cardiac muscle and the brain
of life and low muscle activity, is over- (an ischemic stroke is a stroke that occurs in
weight, abuses alcohol and smokes a lot, is the brain). Cholesterol is the cornerstone of
particularly at risk of atherosclerosis. For the classical atherosclerosis theory. Due to
lack of training, vulnerable blood vessels age-related hormonal imbalance, blood co-
become damaged when under pressure. agulability is disturbed, and cholesterol lev-
Endothelial cells peel off, and microdamage el increases. For that reason, a whole range
accumulates. Temporary patches (first, in of statin drugs are developed and imposed
the form of fibrins, then cholesterol) cover on patients. Their aim is to fight cholesterol
the gaps in the vessel walls. Later on, these and lipoprotein complexes — low-density
patches are covered by new endothelium and very low-density lipoproteins (B-class
cells that form a capsule. The defect in the and some C- and E-subclass apoliproteins).
wall is buried under cholesterol. Previously However, it is common knowledge that
damaged vessel areas are always prone to this is a foray into the work of the liver, and
recurring damage. As cholesterol accumu- may lead to its destruction. Unfortunately,
lates over time, the resulting atherosclerot- many conventional cardiologists and gen-
ic plaque grows as large as to limit or even eral practitioners prescribe statins even to
block blood flow. If there is a defect in the patients with cholesterol levels of 5.6—5.8.
form of a plaque, the blood, as a rule, flows Practice shows that this is to be prescribed
turbulently, not fluidly. If the blood clotting only if the level of cholesterol reaches 8
system is impaired (because of platelet and above, and only when antioxidants and
breakage, for instance), it increases the risk other therapeutic and preventative drugs
of blood coagulation that can cause heart are ineffective.
attack and thrombosis. Blood becomes Remember: statins and anticoagulants can
viscous not only because of cholesterol be prescribed with normal cholesterol val-
but also because of hypercoagulability. As ues only if a patient has suffered a heart or
practice shows, the organism tries to com- brain stroke, or if a patient has a stent de-
pensate the vessel blockage. How can it ployed for the treatment of life-threatening
increase the blood flow speed? conditions!
For example, it can expand capillaries en- Modern scientists claim that atheroscle-
suring the peripheral blood shunt, enhance rosis is caused not only by high cholester-
77 // Health territory. PEPTIDES. Atherosclerosis
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