Atherosclerosis Symptoms

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Early stages of atherosclerosis often do not cause symptoms. Symptoms may first appear when you are under physical or emotional stress — times when the body needs more  oxygen .

Some people may not notice symptoms until  plaque  buildup causes serious problems. It is important to see your healthcare provider often to check for plaque buildup early.

Atherosclerosis reduces the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the tissues and organs of the body. Symptoms can lower your quality of life or lead to death.

Symptoms depend on which  arteries  are affected and how much blood flow is blocked. You may not notice symptoms until plaque buildup causes severe problems. Some conditions caused by atherosclerosis and their symptoms include the following:

• Coronary heart disease includes symptoms of chest pain (angina), heart palpitations (feeling that your heart is racing), shortness of breath, cold sweats, dizziness, extreme tiredness and weakness, and nausea. Coronary heart disease results from atherosclerosis of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle.
• Peripheral artery disease includes symptoms of pain, aching, heaviness, or cramps in your legs while walking or climbing stairs. Pain and other symptoms that stop when you rest is called intermittent claudication. The pain is often in the calf, but you may also feel it in your buttocks, thigh, or foot. Some people with PAD have different symptoms or no symptoms at all.
• Vertebral artery disease includes problems with thinking and memory, weakness or numbness on one side of the body or face, and vision trouble. Transient ischemic attack (TIA), commonly called a ministroke, is a more serious symptom.
• Mesenteric artery  ischemia  of the intestines includes severe belly pain following meals, weight loss, and diarrhea.
• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an early warning sign that a man may be at higher risk for atherosclerosis and its complications. If you have ED, talk with your healthcare team about your risk of plaque buildup.

You may not notice other symptoms until plaque buildup causes serious problems. Seeing your doctor regularly is important, as they may be able to find plaque buildup before it gets serious. For example:

• Carotid artery disease: Plaque builds up in the arteries of the neck. In early stages, you may not have any symptoms. Your provider may be able to hear a whooshing sound called a bruit when listening to the blood flow in your neck using a stethoscope. Often people do not know they have carotid artery disease until they have a transient ischemic attack or a stroke.
• Renal artery stenosis: Using a stethoscope, your provider may hear an abnormal sound, or bruit, in your belly, which is an early sign of renal artery stenosis. This condition results from plaque buildup in the arteries that deliver blood to the kidneys. As the disease worsens, it can cause pressure, extreme tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, feeling sick to the stomach, swelling in the hands or feet, changes in how often you need to urinate, and itchiness or numbness.

Talk to your provider about your symptoms and whether you have risk factors of atherosclerosis.