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If you have atherosclerosis in your heart arteries, you may have symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure (angina).
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If you have atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to your brain, you may have signs and symptoms such as sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs, difficulty speaking or slurred speech, temporary loss of vision in one eye, or drooping muscles in your face. These are the signs and symptoms of a stroke.
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If you have atherosclerosis in the arteries in your arms and legs, you may have signs or symptoms of peripheral artery disease, such as leg pain when walking (claudication) or decreased blood pressure in an affected limb.
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If you have atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to your kidneys, you develop high blood pressure or kidney failure.
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Aneurysms. Atherosclerosis can also cause aneurysms, a serious complication that can occur anywhere in your body. An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of your artery.
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High blood pressure
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High cholesterol
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Inflammation (High levels of C-reactive protein in your blood)
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Diabetes
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Obesity
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Sleep apnea
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Smoking and other tobacco use
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A family history of early heart disease
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Lack of exercise
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An unhealthy diet
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Quitting smoking
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Eating healthy foods
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Exercising regularly
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Maintaining a healthy weight
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Checking and maintaining a healthy blood pressure
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Checking and maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels
MD, Board-Certified Internist, Concierge Medicine Physician
Dr. Guy Delorefice has been practicing in Sonoma County since 1999 as a board-certified internist. He earned a degree in Biology from St. Mary’s College of California, then completed his medical degree at Creighton University. While at Creighton, he launched medical clinics in third-world countries and became fluent in Spanish. His internship and internal medicine residency were completed at Providence St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. After finishing his training, he relocated to Sonoma County to be closer to home and family. Dr. Guy has built a reputation for exceptional patient care and has been voted by peers as a top physician in his specialty in consecutive years.
Outside medicine, he is deeply family-oriented — married to Rebecca, father to Lani and Capri, with a black lab named Hank. He’s passionate about the outdoors and spends time mountain biking, road biking, abalone diving, fishing, hunting, and skiing. He’s often seen biking around Sonoma with his family.