Atherosclerosis in Adolescents – new informational article by Pediatrician Dr. Kenneth Rebong
Among unusual diseases being observed in children, there is Atherosclerosis. Dr. Kenneth Rebong explains in a new article.
Kenneth Pomar Rebong, MD (N/A:N/A)
Dr. Kenneth Rebong1 has published an overview article on this condition. The complete article will be published on the Blog of Dr. Rebong at https://drkennethrebong.wordpress.com/
Atherosclerosis is primarily the hardening of the arteries due to the accumulation of either fat, calcium, or cholesterol deposits which are referred to as plaque. This narrowing of the arteries restricts the flow of the oxygenated blood to parts of the body. Although the onset of Atherosclerosis begins at an early age, the risk factors associated with adolescents are limited.
This suggests that even though Atherosclerosis starts to develop from a young age, the risk factors that might be causing this development aren’t always present in abundance. These risk factors in children include obesity, Type 1 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Other triggers include family history of heart diseases, diabetes or obesity.
Atherosclerosis in children does not usually display any signs or symptoms. However, some of the common signs and symptoms of the disease, generally, are shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations etc. For children, who have any of the above-mentioned risk factors or an unhealthy lifestyle, it is of paramount importance to maintain an active lifestyle and exercise a lot along with consuming a healthy diet. Anything that contains a lot of fat, salts, or favors fat deposition on the body can prove to be harmful and eventually lead to Atherosclerosis, which is why foods of the likes should be avoided.
Diagnosis of this condition can be a range of procedures. The diagnostic methods include physical examinations, electrocardiograms, and exercise stress test. The most popular one, however, is angiography that is a medical imaging technique applied to visualize the inside of the artery suspected to be blocked. Physicians recommend children with a family history of obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure) and hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) to be screened on a regular basis. This is because if Atherosclerosis is not diagnosed and treated at the right time, it may lead to complications such as stroke, cardiovascular diseases, kidney failures, and peripheral artery disease.
Atherosclerosis in children can be prevented. Preventive measures such as a healthy, balanced diet with limited fats and oils teamed with an active lifestyle help reduce the risk of this disease. Losing weight and monitoring calorie intake have also proven to be successful prevention measures in children suffering from obesity.
If, however, the patient has already been diagnosed with Atherosclerosis, there are treatments available to provide some relief to the patient. Treatments include drug therapies aimed at reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels, lifestyle changes like increased exercise and dietary modifications and blood clot dissolving medications such as aspirin. More extreme measures include surgeries like bypass and CEAs (carotid endarterectomy) which are essentially corrective surgeries that remove the plaque build-ups and broaden the arteries.
Atherosclerosis may not seem as dangerous as it really is but nonetheless, prevention is important. If you believe that your child is at risk of Atherosclerosis, get them screened and contact a physician at your earliest possible convenience.
About Dr. Kenneth P. Rebong3
Dr. Kenneth Pomar Rebong2, MD, a medical doctor in San Jose, California, and specializes in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. He completed his Pediatric Residency at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
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Kenneth Pomar Rebong, MD
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WATCH NOW: How Does Atherosclerosis Start And Progress? - Manipal Hospitals at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQOtHtB5oeg
1 https://medicogazette.com/dr-kenneth-pomar-rebong
2 https://hippocratesguild.com/dr-kenneth-pomar-rebong
3 https://hype.news/dr-kenneth-pomar-rebong/