How would deposits in the walls of arteries affect the flow of blood moving through the body?
Thanks for the help. I reallly am lost!!!
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Think of a hose attached to a water faucet. Water is flowing through the hose and out the end. Now suppose we stick a blob of clay onto the inside wall of the hose. Don't you think the flow of water would be decreased. And if we place enough of a blob to the inside of the hose, probably we could shut the flow of water down completely. Same thing with arteries and plaque build up.
To understand how deposits in the walls of arteries affect blood flow, it's important to know about a condition called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when fatty deposits, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances build up within the walls of your arteries, forming plaques. These plaques can restrict blood flow by narrowing the artery's internal diameter.
This reduction in the diameter of an artery due to plaque buildup has a significant impact on blood flow. There are several ways in which it affects the flow of blood moving through the body:
1. Reduced blood volume: As the artery narrows, it limits the amount of blood that can pass through. The diminished blood volume means less oxygen and nutrients reach the organs and tissues supplied by that artery.
2. Increased resistance: The buildup of plaques creates a rough surface inside the artery, causing increased resistance to blood flow. This increased resistance requires the heart to work harder to pump blood through the narrowed artery, leading to hypertension (high blood pressure).
3. Increased risk of blood clot formation: The rough surface of the plaques can damage the delicate lining of the artery, known as the endothelium. This damage can trigger the formation of blood clots, which can potentially block the artery completely, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
4. Reduced elasticity: Arterial plaques can cause the walls of the arteries to become stiff and less elastic. This reduces the ability of the artery to expand and contract, affecting its ability to effectively manage and regulate blood flow.
Overall, deposits in the walls of arteries can impair blood flow by reducing the volume of blood, increasing resistance, promoting blood clot formation, and compromising arterial elasticity. These effects can have serious consequences for our overall health, making it important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and manage risk factors such as high cholesterol and blood pressure.