Christian B. was a little surprised when he suddenly had problems walking. “It just didn’t work anymore,” the 47-year-old told FOCUS online. Constant breaks, shortness of breath when walking, B. blamed it on the coronavirus. Thought he might be suffering from Long Covid. But the bank employee was wrong.
When pain in his legs arose shortly afterwards, B. reacted to his body’s warning signals. He went to the doctor. The right decision, because B. suffered from so-called intermittent claudication.
B. was referred to hospital, where angioplasty was performed. “This is a gentle method of eliminating constrictions in arteries and thus improving the blood supply to the affected vessel (for example in the leg),” explains the University Hospital in Zurich in a study.
What is intermittent claudication?
But what is intermittent claudication? Fats, cholesterol and other substances are deposited on the walls of the arteries and form so-called plaques. This causes the arteries to thicken and allow less blood to pass through, and the blood supply is massively restricted.
Patients can no longer move freely and often complain of pain. The heart is most commonly affected, but arteries can also be narrowed in the legs, kidneys or hands.
In the worst case, there is a risk of a heart attack, stroke or amputation. In Germany, around four million people are affected by intermittent claudication. A third of people over 40 in Germany suffer from circulatory problems.
You need to pay attention to these warning signs
The earlier “arterial occlusive disease” is detected, the more effectively and gently it can be treated. The problem: The first symptoms only appear when 90 percent of the artery is already blocked. The pain is then often initially misinterpreted as muscle, tendon or arthrosis pain – valuable time is lost.
If the vessels around the heart are affected, chest pain can occur, for example. Calcified arteries in the pelvis and legs may cause pain when walking.
High blood pressure is particularly common as a result of narrowing of the arteries. It is often very difficult. Typical symptoms include heart palpitations, headaches, shortness of breath during exertion or poor performance.
This is how you can prevent hardening of the arteries
A healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking and a healthy body weight are crucial to preventing arteriosclerosis. However, those affected do not have to give up chips, chocolate or alcohol completely.
“Everything in moderation is the motto,” said Christoph Kalka, President of the German Vascular League, to “Bild am Sonntag”. Constant stress is more damaging to the cardiovascular system. “The most important thing is definitely not to smoke and to get off the sofa – i.e. exercise.
Regular visits to the doctor are also important. Regular checks of blood pressure and cholesterol levels, treatment and testing of diabetes and, if necessary, taking medication can help slow the progression of arteriosclerosis.
If there is suspicion of hardening of the arteries, the doctor first examines the risk factors, says Kalka. “If there is suspicion, the next step is to assess the blood vessels using medical equipment.” If the hardening of the arteries has already progressed, only a catheter procedure or a major operation can help.