In daily life, many people overlook the devastating impact of lifestyle habits on blood vessels, and unknowingly, these vessels quietly "fail." What abnormalities indicate that blood vessels are blocked? Let's find out in today's article!
Common locations of vascular blockages and warning signs
1. Cardiovascular blockage signal
The coronary artery is responsible for supplying blood to the heart muscle. Once it becomes blocked, the consequences can be severe. Common signs of blockage include:
A sense of oppression, constriction, or burning sensation similar to a heavy weight pressing on the chest occurs in the area behind the sternum or in the precordium (approximately the size of a palm). It often occurs during physical activities such as climbing stairs or brisk walking, or after emotional excitement, a heavy meal, or in cold weather. Resting or taking nitroglycerin under the tongue can alleviate the symptoms within a few minutes. If the symptoms persist for more than 15 minutes, it is necessary to be alert to the possibility of myocardial infarction;
The pain may also radiate to the left shoulder, the inner side of the left arm (which is more typical), and other areas, and it is easily mistaken for stomach problems; it is often accompanied by palpitations, difficulty breathing, cold sweat, and an inexplicable sense of fear.
[Special reminder] For some patients, especially those with diabetes and women, the symptoms may be atypical, manifesting only as extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, etc., which are easily overlooked.
2. Signal of cerebral vascular occlusion
Blockage of cerebral blood vessels (carotid artery/cerebral blood vessels) can lead to cerebral ischemia, triggering transient ischemic attack (TIA, commonly known as "mini stroke") or cerebral infarction. The main symptoms are:
Facial or limb numbness and weakness: numbness on one side of the face, drooping of the mouth corner, and drooling; sudden weakness in one arm or leg, unable to lift or hold objects. This can be tested by smiling to observe whether the corner of the mouth is drooping to one side, and by holding both arms out straight to see if one side is drooping.
Speech impairment: Suddenly unable to speak clearly, express oneself with difficulty, or understand others' speech.
Abnormal vision: Suddenly, one side or both eyes experience blurred vision, darkness, double vision, or inability to see objects on the left/right side.
Dizziness and imbalance: Suddenly feeling dizzy, unsteady on your feet, and walking to one side, which may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It needs to be distinguished from otogenic dizziness such as otolith disease, but cerebrovascular issues should be prioritized when such symptoms occur.
Severe headache: A sudden, unprecedented severe headache may indicate a hemorrhagic stroke or a sign of severe blood vessel blockage.
3. Signals of lower limb vascular blockage
Blockage of lower limb arteries (peripheral arteries) can lead to insufficient blood supply to leg muscles, and common symptoms include:
Intermittent claudication: After walking a certain distance, soreness, cramps, heaviness, or fatigue occur in one or both lower legs, thighs, or buttocks, requiring a stop to rest. The symptoms subside after a few minutes, but recur upon walking a similar distance again. This is the most typical sign.
Resting pain: When not walking and at rest, the feet and toes still experience pain, numbness, and coldness. The symptoms worsen when lying flat at night, and can be alleviated by lowering the legs. This is a sign of worsening condition.
Low skin temperature and abnormal color: The skin temperature of the affected foot or leg is significantly lower than that of the opposite side, and the skin appears pale or purple. You can touch the back of the foot to check if you can feel the pulse. If you cannot feel it or the pulse is extremely weak, be vigilant.
Wound non-healing and tissue necrosis: Small wounds or breaks on the feet are difficult to heal, and may even lead to ulcers and gangrene (turning black). This is a sign of severe ischemia, posing a risk of amputation.
Self-examination method for vascular blockage
You can conduct a self-examination to preliminarily assess your vascular health through the following simple methods:
Palpate the dorsal pedal artery: Use your fingers to palpate the dorsal pedal artery on the back of both feet, and compare the intensity of the pulsations in both arteries. If one side is significantly weaker or disappears, it may indicate a problem with the blood vessels in the lower limbs.
Observe the condition of the limbs: Check for unilateral limb swelling and compare the skin temperature of both limbs. If there is a significant difference, pay attention to the vascular condition.
Pay attention to walking performance: During daily walking, pay attention to whether there is a phenomenon of "intermittent claudication", which means that discomfort occurs in the legs after walking for a certain distance, alleviates after rest, and discomfort reappears when walking again.
Examination items for vascular obstruction
If any of the aforementioned abnormal signals are detected, prompt medical examination should be sought. Specific examination items can be divided into preliminary screening and further examination.
1. Preliminary screening
Blood pressure, blood lipid, and blood glucose testing: These are basic indicators for assessing vascular health. Abnormalities in blood pressure, blood lipid, and blood glucose levels can increase the risk of vascular blockage.
Electrocardiogram (ECG) examination: It can assess cardiac electrical activity, aid in detecting issues such as myocardial ischemia and arrhythmias, and assist in evaluating the condition of the heart's blood vessels.
Ultrasonic examination of carotid and lower limb arteries: It is a non-invasive examination that can clearly show whether there is plaque formation and the degree of stenosis in the carotid and lower limb arteries.
Ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement: a simple and non-invasive method that involves measuring blood pressure at the ankle and arm, calculating the ratio of the two, and is used for screening lower limb arterial disease.
2. Further inspection
(Choose based on preliminary results and doctor's advice)
Heart: echocardiography, stress test, coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), coronary angiography (gold standard).
Brain: cranial CT/MRI, cerebral vascular MRA/CTA, cerebral angiography (DSA).
Suggestions for preventing vascular blockage
Prevention is better than cure. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and undergoing regular physical examinations are effective ways to safeguard vascular health
Control basic indicators: Regularly monitor blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids. If abnormalities occur, seek medical attention promptly and follow the doctor's advice for treatment to keep the indicators within normal range.
Develop good habits: quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption to avoid damage to blood vessels caused by harmful substances in tobacco and alcohol; maintain a healthy weight, avoid obesity, and reduce the burden on blood vessels.
Eating and exercising reasonably: Maintain a balanced diet, consume more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, increase the intake of foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as deep-sea fish (such as salmon and cod), chia seeds, walnuts, etc., and reduce the intake of high-salt, high-fat, and high-sugar foods; exercise regularly, such as walking, jogging, swimming, etc., and engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, which helps promote blood circulation and enhance vascular elasticity.
Regular physical examination: especially for high-risk groups such as middle-aged and elderly people, those with a family history of vascular diseases, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, who should undergo regular vascular-related examinations to achieve early detection, early intervention, and early treatment.
[Expert Reminder]
The aforementioned signals are important alarms sent by the body, but their presence does not necessarily indicate blood vessel blockage; they could also be caused by other diseases. Once these signals appear, especially if they are new, recurrent, or continuously worsening, it is imperative to seek medical examination at a reputable hospital as soon as possible for a definitive diagnosis and timely treatment. Do not ignore them or take any chances, as this could lead to a delay in treatment and potentially worsen the condition.
Expert Introduction
Zheng Yin, Chief Physician
Vice President, Professor
Master's supervisor, scholar studying in the United States
Outstanding experts with outstanding contributions in Hainan Province
Medical expertise:
Specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and health management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as geriatric diseases. Provides cardiac rehabilitation for patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, metabolic syndrome, post-stent implantation, and post-bypass surgery, including guidance on medication, exercise, nutrition, and sleep disorders.
Editor | Huang Fei