Arteriosclerosis and Hypertension, with Chapters on Blood Pressure: 3rd Edition.Warfield, Louis M. (Louis Marshall)
Science
Arteriosclerosis and Hypertension, with Chapters on Blood Pressure: 3rd Edition.
Warfield, Louis M. (Louis Marshall)
Arteries -- Diseases; Blood pressure
Our conception of arteriosclerosis as a degenerative process affecting
the vascular tree rather than a disease, removes the possibility of
discussing special symptoms. As a matter of fact, we know of very few
organs where even profound pathologic changes in the vascular system
produced during life any symptoms which could be laid to these arterial
changes. Kind nature has given to us such an excess of organs of every
kind that the destruction of large portions of any organ seems to affect
the function but little. So only particular groups of organs, which show
symptomatic changes as the result of arteriosclerotic processes, will be
discussed. It is realized that this may not give Teutonic completeness
to the discussion, but it certainly saves paper and has a distinct
practical value to the long suffering reader.
Although arteriosclerosis is a disease which affects the whole arterial
system, it nevertheless never reaches the same grade all over the body.
The difference in the structure and functions of the various organs
determines to great extent the eventual symptomatology. Endarteritis
obliterans of a small sized artery in the liver or leg would lead to no
marked symptoms, as the circulation is so rich that the anastomoses of
the blood vessels would soon establish a collateral circulation that
would be perfectly competent to sustain the function of the part. Quite
different would it be should one of the small arteries of the brain, the
lenticulo-striate, for example, which supplies the corpus striatum,
become the seat of a thrombosis or embolism caused by arteriosclerosis.
The arteries of the brain are terminal arteries and the blood supply
would be cut off entirely with a resulting anemic necrosis of the part
supplied by the artery and a loss of function of the part. What would be
of no moment in the leg or arm might prove even fatal in the brain.
The further symptomatology, therefore, of arteriosclerosis depends
entirely on the organ or organs most affected by the interference with
the blood supply. The following groups may be recognized:
1. Cardiac.
2. Renal.
3. Abdominal.
4. Cerebral.
5. Spinal.
6. Local vasomotor effects.
7. Pulmonary.
=Cardiac=
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