What is the age of your blood vessels? It determines people’s health and longevity

People have age, and blood vessels have age, just like tree rings. Vascular age determines human health and longevity.

Man is born like a brand new machine. The child’s blood vessels have good elasticity, and the inner wall is as smooth as satin, without too many bumps and spots. With age, lipid streaks begin to appear on the lining of blood vessels, like rust in metal pipes. Under the influence of age and various risk factors (abnormal blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar indicators), these lipid streaks gradually grow into plaques (atherosclerotic lesions), thus starting the long-term development of atherosclerotic disease. process. If not controlled and intervened, it will accelerate the growth and increase of plaque.

In the early stage of plaque formation, blood flow is not affected, but as plaque enlarges and lipids accumulate in plaque, blood flow begins to be restricted. Especially when people exercise, the organ’s demand for oxygen increases, but the oxygen supply is limited due to the stenosis of blood vessels, and the performance of organ ischemia, such as angina pectoris and intermittent claudication, will occur.

In fact, the most frightening thing is not the size of the plaque, but the instability of the plaque. Just as dumplings with thick, thin skins are prone to overcooking, erratic soft patches are especially prone to erosion and cracking. The plaque ruptures and then forms a thrombus, which quickly blocks or even blocks the arterial blood vessels. Blood cannot flow through, and the organs and tissues cannot get blood and oxygen, and they will die. No matter which artery occurs in this situation, it will cause corresponding symptoms and diseases, such as myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, etc., and even death in severe cases, which is called vascular death in medicine.

If you live long enough, everyone will develop atherosclerotic lesions in their blood vessels. The elasticity of blood vessels in many elderly people is getting worse and worse, and the vascular lumen is getting narrower and narrower, just like a hollow tube becomes solid, and some blood vessels are severely calcified, just like a steel pipe. Born from unobstructed blood vessels, aging from arteriosclerosis, disease from vascular stenosis, and death from thrombosis, this is a physiological phenomenon that most people cannot escape.

So, how to detect vascular age?

First, you can roughly estimate the age of your blood vessels without checking any indicators. A healthy lifestyle, optimistic attitude, and good interpersonal communication are the most important signs of rejuvenation of blood vessels. Conversely, blood vessels are prone to aging. Therefore, clinically, a comprehensive assessment of risk factors, such as lifestyle (including diet, exercise, smoking, etc.) and basic examinations (including weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar, etc.) should be carried out. The focus is to determine whether you have atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral artery disease, through medical history and related examinations. If you are sick, no matter how old you are, your blood vessels cannot be considered young.

Secondly, carotid vascular ultrasonography can detect the intima-media thickness and the presence of plaque, as well as assess the size and extent of the plaque, whether it is a hard (highly echogenic) or soft plaque block (low echo). If it is a soft plaque, it is often indicated as a vulnerable plaque, which is easy to rupture and requires active intervention. The carotid arteries are examined rather than the coronary and cerebral vessels, mainly because the carotid arteries are very superficial and are easily accessible and assessed with ultrasound. The carotid artery is actually a window. Just like investigating forest pests and diseases, it is impossible for us to inspect trees one by one. If a certain forest or even a certain tree has pests, it means that other trees may also have or are about to suffer from pests and diseases. . The detection of plaque by vascular ultrasound does not mean that the plaque will fall off and lead to danger. More importantly, it is an indicator of systemic atherosclerosis.

Vascular age is closely related to future myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and vascular death. Neither the size nor the size of the plaque is the most important, but whether it ruptures or not. Echocardiography, or color ultrasound of the heart, can only evaluate the size, structure and function of the heart, and cannot be used to detect intravascular plaques and assess the age of blood vessels.

In short, lifestyle determines vascular health. The best way to keep the blood vessels young is to develop a healthy lifestyle, reasonable diet, moderate exercise, quit smoking and limit alcohol, psychological balance, and strive to change bad living habits.

Reprint: People’s Daily Online, Guangming.com

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