Atherosclerosis
About a month ago i had one of my toe on my left foot who was blue and felt dry, at first i thought it probably was in need of foot cream or lotion, but after a week of application it was not getting any better, so i went to see a podiatrist. to make a long story short he diagnosed that it could be atherosclerosis and that it could be the beginning of a serious problem.
Being that this sounded more serious then i thought i started to do recherche on this particular condition and this is a brief resume of my findings:
Regardless of the cause, high cholesterol plays a major role in the development of atherosclerosis or hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which in turn raises the risk of heart attack and stoke. In this case the major culprit is elevated LDL. While LDL is harmful, HDL, a good form of cholesterol, helps arteries, it quiets inflammation in damaged arteries and block the oxidation of LDL.
In a healthy artery, the inner lining is smooth and intact, but disease or injury, as well as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can damage this lining paving the way for atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis begins when white blood cells move into the lining and artery wall. They transform into foam cells which accumulate fat and cholesterol. Other substances, such as calcium, also collect at the site and eventually an atherosclerotic plaque forms. These plaques thicken and harden the artery wall and bulge into the bloodstream to reduce or block blood flow. When one of those plaque get loose it can trigger a blood clot leading to heart attack or stroke. Keeping track of your numbers can help you maintain a better health.