Atherosclerosis is a state in which the deposition of fat on the inner lining of arteries takes place. Arteries are blood vessels which carrying oxygenated blood from the heart to other parts of the body.

Advanced atherosclerosis leads to increase of cholesterol and calcium on the fatty layer. This tends to hardening of the artery and narrowing of the arterial diameter leading to decrease blood supply to the organ that the artery is supplying.

It can be categorized into modifiable factors and non-modifiable factors.

1. Modifiable factors:

Atherosclerosis is a lifestyle disorder. Smoking, unhealthy highly fatty and cholesterol loaded food is the cause. Like non-vegetarian food, ice-creams, sweets, physical activity and lack of exercise can cause dyslipidaemia which causes raised low-density lipo-protein which is the bad lipoprotein and low level high-density lipo-protein (the good lipo-protein) in the blood. Herpes virus and cytomegalovirus is linked with atherosclerosis. Diabetes mellitus and Hypertension can make one more prone to atherosclerosis.

Obesity, short sleeps duration, elevated uric acid levels, hyperthyroidism, elevated serum Homocysteine levels, stress or clinical depression, Chlamydia pneumoniae infection, elevated levels of C reactive protein in blood.

2. Non-modifiable factors:

Aging and family history play a main role in the development of disease. Asians and males are more prone to the disease.

The disease remains asymptomatic for a long time till the plaque causes stern distortion of the artery and compromises blood deliver to the organ concerned. This may lead to heart attack, paralysis, claudication which is abridged blood supply to the extremities or even death.

Investigation has proven that use of omega-3 oils from fatty fish or plant oils such as flax, exercising and weight loss, stopping smoking, dropping stress have been proved to reduce the incidence of the disease in majority of the cases.

Homeopathy has great scope in the treatment of atherosclerosis. It can arrest the progress of the disease and prevent untoward happenings like heart attack, paralysis, and reduced blood supply to extremities which is known as claudication and death.