Atherosclerosis: Cardiovascular Disease

     Atherosclerosis is one of a group of health problems that define coronary artery disease, oftentimes referred to as heart disease. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart disease in the United States. The following is the definition provided by the American Heart Association:

This chronic disease is also known as atherosclerosis and is characterized as a fatty plaque build-up in arteries which blocks the blood flow to the vital organs in ours bodies; with the heart being the main target. This potentially life-threatening blockage results in starvation and deprivation of oxygen enriched blood and vital nutrients that are necessary for the heart to maintain proper function; and that is being able to pump blood efficiently. Typically, it is said that the process of heart disease may begin during childhood years of an individual’s life. In a healthy individual; our arteries start out smooth and elastic, allowing effortless blood flow to our hearts and throughout our bodies. As this cholesterol-laden plaque begin to accumulate within the walls of blood vessels (which may be caused by a poor diet, and lack of physical activity, or simply hereditary) the vessels become inflamed. With the body’s effort in healing itself, this destructing plaque begins to release substances such as lipoprotenins, calcium, and inflammatory cells throughout the bloodstream.

6. Atherosclerosis, pp.1157. is a form of arteriosclerosis in which thickening and hardening of the vessel are caused by the accumulation of lipid-laden macrophages w/I the arterial wall, which leads to the formation of a lesion called a plaque. It is not a single disease but rather a pathologic process that can affect vascular syustemns throughtout the body, resulting in ischemic syndromes that can vary widely in their severity and clinical manisfestations. It is the leading contributor to coronary artery and cerebrocascular disease. Athrosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, the lesions progress from endothelial injury and dysfunction

Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of coronary heart disease which can affect any artery in the body, is essentially the narrowing of arteries due to excessive build up of cholesterol-rich lipids known as plaque (Insull 2009). Once the arteries become narrow, the flow of blood will be constricted, and the amount of blood, nutrients and oxygen that are able to reach the heart are reduced. As a consequence, the heart becomes increasingly hypoxic resulting in ineffective contraction. The aftermath of narrow arteries often poses serious consequences as it has a high probability of causing heart attack, angina, or even stroke (Marieb & Hoehn 2010; Insull 2009). Despite the fact that arteries will harden naturally as people age, the rate of plaque development is determined by the number of risk factors (Insull 2009). This essay will discuss and review the procedure in which the risk factors: hypertension, abnormal level of blood lipids, and smoking took to assist in the development of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which fatty materials and plaque buildup on the inner lining of arteries. Arteries are blood vessels which carry rich blood to the heart and throughout the body. They’re lined by the endothelium, a thin layer of cells. The endothelium keeps blood flowing by keeping the inside of arteries smooth. However, when Atherosclerosis starts due to high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol, it damages the endothelium. Atherosclerosis tends to happen throughout the body and arises when people grow older. This disease is mainly due to the deposition of fatty materials i.e., cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. The buildup of fat then hardens causing narrowing of the arteries. This

Atherosclerosis a chronic, inflammatory disease of the medium and large arteries, peripheral arteries, carotid and the aorta is a major contributor to the development of cardiovascular disease and the leading cause of death worldwide. Aherosclerotic plaque formation is a local process in the vessel wall with symptoms in the specific area, though the possibility of plaque formation at the same time and in different areas of the vasculature, regards the disease as systemic one1-3. Furthermore it is recognized that atherosclerotic carotid arteries pose a substantial risk of ipsilateral cerebrovascular events, with reported annual ischemic stroke rates ranging from .35% to 1.3% in asymptomatic patients with moderate stenosis4,5 and from .5% to

One source of great mortality and morbidity in Europe and North America is the cardiovascular disease, Atherosclerosis. It is recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease of the intermediate and large arteries characterized by the thickening of the arterial wall and is the primary cause of coronary and cerebrovascular heart disease (Wilson, 2005). It accounts for 4.35 million deaths in Europe and 35% death in the UK each year. Mortality rate are generally higher in men than pre-menopausal woman. Past the menopause, a woman’s risk is similar to a man’s (George and Johnston, 2010). Clinical trials have confirmed that lipid accumulation, endothelial dysfunction, cell proliferation, inflammation matrix alteration and foam cell formation are

Atherosclerosis can be associate with atheromata’formation, which are raised, fibroadipose plaques that develop within the intimal layer of the artery or within the innermost layers of the tunica media. Some atheromata undergo calcification or ulceration, and mural thrombi can form over complicated and uncomplicated atheromata. As a result, can block or diminished the blood flow in the artery, turning tissue and organs oxygen deprived.

As the athermanous plaque evolves and enlarges, it may undergo changes that help contribute to the development of clinical disease, so called "complicated" atheromatous lesion:

Coronary artery disease is the precursor to many systemic complications. Age, structural changes, plaque buildup, and the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the vessel can lead to stenosis and further blockage in the coronary vessel which impedes

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that can beginning in childhood or adolescence. Atherosclerosis is defined as a buildup of fatty material, such as cholesterol, in the walls of blood vessels. There are three progressive states of excess fatty material in the blood vessel walls: fatty streak, intermediate lesion, and a fibrous lesion. A fatty streak is a line of yellow fatty material in the blood vessel wall, and as the streak becomes larger it is then called an intermediate lesion then a fibrous lesion. A fibrous lesion can be occlusive of non-occlusive. The occlusive lesion forms under the endothelium of the blood vessel and grows towards the lumen of the blood vessel cause the lumen to become smaller. A non-occlusive lesion forms under

What is cardio vascular disease? According to the American Heart Association, cardio vascular disease is also called heart disease and it includes numerous problems related to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition that occurs as plaque or fatty deposit builds up in the walls of the arteries and as the buildup narrows the arteries, it becomes harder for blood to flow through and causes a heart attack. This severe disease is one of the leading cause of death and disability among the elderly (age 65 and older) men, women, and most ethnic groups. We may ask ourselves, what is causing this disease to be so powerful? There are a number of factors that cause this disease which are high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, being overweight, lack of physical activity, and diabetes. We don’t seem to think much about it but, more than 1 in 3 elderly adults in the United States are diagnosed with the disease. The article “Older Americans & Cardiovascular Disease” state that an estimate 83.6 million American adults and for the 60-79 year-old age group, the following have CVD: 83.0% of men; 87.1%of women. After women go through menopause, the frequency of heart disease in women matches the rate of heart disease in men. The number of our elderly out living their life expectancy is stretching out longer but at the same time that does not reduce the risk of them experiencing a heart attack. Older persons are often faced with unique and multiple challenges to health. When we are

Atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries is speed up by high lipid level. Sticky substance called plaque forms in the walls of your arteries as you age. The plaque is made of lipids and other materials circulating in your blood. When the plaque builds up, the arteries can narrow and stiffen. Eventually, enough plaque may build up to reduce blood flow through your arteries. Atherosclerosis increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other vascular diseases.

Atherosclerosis is a systemic vascular disease, but it predominantly affects local arteries of specific organs, for example, cerebral arteries of the brain, coronary arteries of the heart and renal arteries of the kidney. In fact, atherosclerosis is a significant source of carotid artery diseases causing various degrees of conditions from carotid stiffness to severe carotid stenosis [34]. Finding carotid atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, is an inflammatory disease characterized by lipid accumulation along the arterial walls. During an immune response, leukocytes and lymphocytes target invading microorganisms,