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Women's Cardiovascular Healthcare Foundation
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NEWS

What is atheroma?

Atheroma is a lipid plaque deposited on the wall of an artery. It can lead to injury, obstruction or rupture, resulting in heart attack or stroke.

What is atheroma?

Atheroma develops with age, particularly in people exposed to certain lifestyle habits (sedentary lifestyle, smoking...) and with cardiovascular risk factors (cholesterol, high blood pressure...). The thickening of atheromatous plaques can progressively impede blood circulation, leading to the appearance of symptoms such as pain, dizziness, shortness of breath and instability when walking. Angina pectoris, transient ischemic attack and obliterative arteriopathy of the lower limbs (AOMI) are the main manifestations of atheroma. Plaque rupture leads to the formation of a clot (thrombus), which blocks blood circulation and causes ischemia of a coronary artery (myocardial infarction), or a cerebral artery (stroke). A healthy lifestyle and regular medical check-ups prevent cardiovascular disease in 8 out of 10 cases.

 
SEE ALSO

When should you resume sexual activity after a cardiovascular event?

The fear of recurrence is often a major obstacle to resuming an active sex life. A cardiovascular event has a major impact on sexuality. It can have adverse effects on libido, which, depending on the case, can lead to marital conflict, feelings of worthlessness and fragility, excessive mothering of [...]

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How the Placenta Plays an Essential Role in Nourishing a Baby

What happens when the placenta doesn’t develop correctly? In some situations, the placenta develops incorrectly, doesn’t develop enough, ages to quickly or sometimes detaches from the uterus too soon. This can lead to a dysfunction that causes complications for the mother and the baby as well. [...]

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Why this Doctor is Sounding the Red Alert for Women’s Hearts

Media

Just three years ago, France 5 broadcast a health investigation on women’s hearts. During the program, Prof. Claire Mounier-Vehier, MD, sounded the alarm: women are on the front lines of cardiovascular events and they don’t even know it. This show has already helped save many lives, raising [...]

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