What happens when fat clogs arteries?!
Question: I need quite a good scientific explanation. I kinda know, but im not sure how to put it. >_<
Answers: I need quite a good scientific explanation. I kinda know, but im not sure how to put it. >_<
It's not actually fat that clogs the arteries. There are a series of events that leads to clogged arteries which can be called atherosclerosis and/or arteriosclerosis. First, there has to be some kind of injury to the endothelial cells (inner lining of your vessels) then once injured the cells stop making normal antithrombotic and vasodilatory substances such as nitric oxide and prostaglandins. Certain growth factors will be released and cause the smooth muscle of the vessel to proliferate. Then macrophages (white blood cells that engulf infected cells, debris, etc) will come in and stick to the damaged endothelial surface because of the production of adhesion molecules. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL- the bad cholesterol) floating around in the blood become oxidized by the macrophages' enzymes and free radicals'. This will recruite more macrophages to the area which engulf the oxidized LDL and penetrate into the intima (inside the blood vessel) forming foam cells. Numerous foam cells that accumulate become what's called fatty streaks. Fatty streaks are found in everyone at almost every age but can be reversed with proper therapies. The fatty streaks will then release toxic oxygen radicals and cause immunologic and inflammatory changes resulting in progressive damage to the vessel wall. The next step involves the incorporation of fibrous tissue and damaged smooth muscle cells into the area overlying the foam cells, which forms a cap called a fibrous plaque. This results in narrowing of the vessel lumen (space where blood constituents move) as the lesion protrudes out from the wall. **Although some permanent scarring has occurred by now, aggressive lowering of risk factors (e.g. hyperlipidemia-high fat in blood) can result in lesion regression and improved tissue perfusion.**
Continuing on, as the plaque develops more, it can ulcerate or rupture because of mechanical shear forces and continued necrosis (cell death) of the vessel wall. Platelets will then aggregate and adhere to the surface of the ruptured plaque, a coagulation (blood clot) cascade is initiated, and a thrombus forms over the lesion that may completely obstruct then lumen of the vessel and blood flow will not reach any organs, muscles, etc below that artery. This type of lesion is referred to as a complicated lesion. If this would be a coronary artery, a myocardial infarction would occur.
So, fat does not clog the arteries directly, but the do increase LDL cholesterol which is a major problem in atherosclerosis. Also, hyperlipidemia is one of the strongest risk factors for clogged arteries and MI's for individuals under 45.
Hope this helps, if u need any studies to prove this or just for additional info, just email me.
when the fat particles clog your arterie your blood presure rises because it will make it harder for your blood to go though meaning that your heart will have to put more pressure into pushing the blood thourhout your body.
well hm... ok.
really it's the ldl cholesterol, and when your white blood cells try to fight it, they can't and they bust open O.o so great, woah, now it's even worse. Then the arteries can get inflamed and stuff.
so your arteries get clogged with fat and hardens (plaque). Think about, you've got this tube but it's got this big lump of stuff blocking the way (atheroma). and when the fat is lining them, the circumference of the artery decreases. think about if you have a tube, and you squeeze it.
when they get narrowed, it's called "stenosis". and you know what they do, they thread up this tiny tiny balloon into your artery, and then when they find that part they inflate it and this pushes the stuff back and clears the way a bit.
so then your blood doesn't have enough room to get through, they have to kind of like... squeeze through there. so you will get decreased blood flow, (like, it's slowed down) and the blood pressure will go up (this is the pushing on the wall)
then your artery enlarges, bla ze bla, and if it's blocked enough the damn thing can rupture.
i'm pretty sure the plaques can break off, and flow around and if they get lodged in one of those small arteries, like your um... CORONARY ARTERIES or the arteries in your BRAIN then they can block the flow completely and cause heart attacks or a stroke (i think)
anyway, check wikipedia...hehe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheroscler...