High lipids are the primary cause of atherosclerosis which causes most heart attacks and strokes worldwide.
Chain of Events:
- Deposition: Excess LDL infiltrates the artery wall and oxidizes.
- Inflammation: Body responds by sending immune cells — forming a fatty plaque.
- Narrowing: Plaque grows gradually narrowing the artery — blood flow decreases.
- Symptoms: Angina (chest pain on exertion), or leg pain when walking (intermittent claudication).
- Rupture: Plaque suddenly tears — a clot forms completely blocking the artery.
- Catastrophe: Blocked heart artery = heart attack. Blocked brain artery = stroke.
Who Is at Highest Risk:
- LDL above 160 + smoking + diabetes + hypertension = very high risk.
- Family history of early heart disease (under 55 in men, 65 in women).
At BEIT TARIQ Center, we calculate comprehensive cardiac risk for each patient and treat according to risk level.