This disorder or disease is often referred to by the term arteriosclerosis, which in laymen's terms, is the thickening and hardening of the arteries. This problem is now so widespread and common that a world re-renowned heart specialist described it as a modern epidemic.
"So What?", You Say...
Well, as the disease progresses and develops, often over long time periods, the blood vessels that carry the blood from the heart to the body's tissues become stiff and their inner surfaces roughened and thickened. These conditions lay the groundwork for the three most common causes of death and disablement in America: heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
Causes and Common Misconceptions
Much of the exact nature of arteriosclerosis is still unknown. But during the past 10 years we have learned a great deal in the fields of pathology, chemistry, biology, and nutrition that have provided us with clues to the mystery, and a practical approach to treatment for the first time.
Widespread popular interest in the heart and in the aging process has helped immeasurably in the conquest of disease. But at the same time, it has been responsible for a good deal of fear and confusion among lay people. Some of these miscon?ceptions are reflected in the questions patients ask after reading articles of the kind that now appear in many newspapers and magazines.
Take diseases of the heart and blood vessels, for example. Terms such as atherosclerosis, coronary thrombosis, and chole?sterol are today fairly commonplace, even in publications for the general reader. But few non-medical people know exactly what these words mean.
Here's What You Can Do About It?
So the big question is whether anything can be done to destroy this number one killer before it takes you. The simple answer is "yes", but you must be prepared to take the time and effort, right now, to learn a few simple 'rules' and follow some easy directions, which we shall discuss in the next article.
