What is calcification of the coronary arteries?
The coronary arteries are the small vessels that run in a ring around the heart and supply the heart muscle with blood. If calcium is deposited in the inner wall of the vessels, this is called calcification of the coronary vessels. As a result, the vessels are hardened and more rigid than healthy vessels. In technical jargon, this is also known as arteriosclerosis. If the calcification of the coronary vessels leads to a severe narrowing of the vessel diameter, a condition known as coronary heart disease (CHD) develops.
Causes
The formation of calcified vessels is very complex and is still the subject of intensive research. High blood pressure values, immune reactions and elevated blood lipid levels can damage the vessel wall and, after a long period of time, lead to its calcification. An unhealthy lifestyle and diet therefore play a decisive role as a risk factor.
High-fat diets and insufficient exercise raise blood cholesterol levels. Above all the so-called LDL cholesterol, colloquially also called bad cholesterol, settles on the vessel walls. There it is absorbed by specific cells and incorporated into the vessel wall.
High blood pressure puts additional pressure on the vascular wall at these points and thus intensifies the remodelling processes. Further risk factors are any diseases or habits that are considered to be damaging to the blood vessels. These include nicotine consumption, diabetes mellitus and advanced age.
Basically men have a higher risk of suffering from calcification of the vessels, whereas women are particularly at risk during the menopause. A genetic component also influences one’s own risk of vascular calcification. To a certain extent, vascular calcification is normal in old age and cannot be prevented.
Diagnosis
The first point of contact for breast complaints in peace and quiet is first of all your own family doctor. He or she can find out more about the symptoms, listen to the heart, check the blood lipid levels and carry out a basic physical examination. If the family doctor makes a suspected diagnosis of calcified coronary arteries, he will arrange for a referral to a cardiologist, the heart specialist. The cardiologist can visualize and examine the coronary vessels in a so-called cardiac catheter angiography. This is a special x-ray examination of the coronary vessels, which allows them to be assessed easily.
