Write An Essay On Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arterial wall. Susceptible sites of the artery become

stenosed by lipid retention. This lipid retention causes arthersclerotic lesions that can cause

ischemia which can trigger occlusions of major conduit arteries of the heart, brain, legs and other

vital organs. These lesions begin in the inner lining of the arteries and progress eventually

effecting the entire wall. The rate of plaque formation is the same regardless of race, ethnicity, sex

or geographic area. Yet, several risk factors contribute to the development of atherosclerosis at a

faster rate: hypertension, tobacco smoke, diabetes mellitis, obesity, genetic disposition and high

cholesterol.

Atherosclerosis develops over the course of 50

Theses first changes occur at the

branch points of the arteries.

­Early Fibroatheroma: occurs in persons in their teens and 20's. Numerous macrophage foam cells,

other inflammatory cells, and the natural cells of arteries accumulate. Macrophage are responsible

for the plaque development. Fibrous tissue is added over the lipid­rich necrotic cores developing

into the dominant lesions

­Advancing atheroma: Thin­cap fibratheroma and its rupture: this stage occur greater than 55 years

of age. This fibrous cap are considered “vulnerable plaque” due to its risk to rupture causing a life

threatening thrombosis.

­Complex Lesion development: many of the above thin fibrous cap that have ruptured go

unnoticed. The rupture heals by forming fibrous tissue matrices of cells, collegian fibers, and

extracellular space. These cyclic changes in the ruptures caps may occur and reoccur up to four

times at a single site in the arterial wall. The result of the healing is multiple layers of healed

tissue. Sixty percent of sudden cardiac deaths is know to be caused at the point of the cyclic healing.

Lipid treatment with statins can reduce ones risk factor by 20­40%. Treatment