What is your knowledge of the human disease called, 'Atherosclerosis'?
Atherosclerosis (ath"er-o-skleh-RO'sis) comes from the Greek words athero (meaning gruel or paste) and sclerosis (hardness). It's the name of the process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque. It usually affects large and medium-sized arteries. Some hardening of arteries often occurs when people grow older.
Plaques can grow large enough to significantly reduce the blood's flow through an artery. But most of the damage occurs when they become fragile and rupture. Plaques that rupture cause blood clots to form that can block blood flow or break off and travel to another part of the body. If either happens and blocks a blood vessel that feeds the heart, it causes a heart attack. If it blocks a blood vessel that feeds the brain, it causes a stroke. And if blood supply to the arms or legs is reduced, it can cause difficulty walking and eventually gangrene.
Ref. https://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4440
One of the nastiest side effects of this disease is the lose of limbs due to gangrene. When a blood vessel ruptures in the leg and goes unchecked, it causes a loss of blood flow and the leg dies from not getting blood. The leg dies, turns green and then black and has to be cut off. This is one cardio disease has to be watched constantly.
Gut microbiome plays an important role in atherosclerosis. Researchers have shown a novel relationship between the intestinal microbiome and atherosclerosis, one of the major causes of heart attack and stroke. This was measured as the burden of plaque in the carotid arteries. Source 9r.
Disrupted sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by promoting inflammation. Sleep disruption has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, but the mechanism has been unclear. A new study reveals that fragmented sleep exacerbates atherosclerosis and may raise the risk of stroke via an effect on inflammatory pathways. Source 3w.