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 …show more content…
These cells are able to produce and secrete such mediator molecules, like cytokines, chemokines, growth-factors, enzymes, and disintegrins, which activate endothelial cells, proliferation of smooth muscle cells, lesion progression, and the weakening of a vulnerable plaque by matrix degradation of its fibrous cap. Many of these molecules involved can be measured systemically and has been shown that elevated concentrations in the circulation are associated with future cardiovascular …show more content…
It is also suggested that inflammatory markers are transcribed locally in atherosclerotic plaques12-14. Other markers associated with carotid atherosclerotic plaques are: matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)15, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases(TIMP)16, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 117 and osteopontin18,19 . MMPs are a family of zinc-containing enzymes and are secreted as inactive precursors. They are prevalent in the arterial wall throughout the arterial system. Metalloproteases play a central role in degradation of the vascular extracellular matrix resulting in destabilization of the atherosclerotic plaque15. The destabilization event contributes to plaque rupture and consequently in acute ischemic events. Increased carotid MMP-9 plaque levels are associated with an unstable plaque phenotype and are higher in lipid-rich inflammatory plaques. Osteopontin, an acidic phosphoprotein, has recently been demonstrated to inhibit mineral deposition as well as osteoclastogenesis and it is constitutively expressed by a wide range of cell types in the vasculature. Carotid plaque contains valuable information for follow up after vascular surgery. It has been shown that local plaque characteristics are associated with restenosis at the site of carotid
Many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease cause problems because they lead to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the narrowing and thickening of arteries and develops for years without causing symptoms. It can happen in any part of the body. Around the heart, it is known as coronary artery disease, in the legs it is known as peripheral arterial disease. The narrowing and thickening of the arteries is due to the deposition of fatty material, cholesterol and other substances in the walls of blood vessels. The deposits are known as plaques. The rupture of a plaque can lead to stroke or a heart attack. (World Heart Federation).
Atherosclerosis is the process in which substances known as plaques, which are made up of cholesterol and platelets, adhere to tears in the walls of arteries. Over time these plaques build up to the point where they occlude blood flow in the arteries. When this happens in the coronary arteries, either directly, as the result of buildup in the arteries themselves, indirectly in the form a clot from another part of the body breaking loose and becoming lodged in the coronary arteries, the usual result is a heart attack.3
Atherosclerosis (ath"er-o-skleh-RO'sis) comes from the Greek words athero (meaning gruel or paste) and sclerosis (hardness). It's the name of the process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque. It usually affects large and medium-sized arteries. Some
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
Coronary illness is the development of plaque (fat store on the inward dividers of the veins) in the coronary conduits that supply O2 rich blood to the heart muscle, the development of plaque is called atherosclerosis. After some time passes plaques may solidify therefore limiting blood stream or totally obstructing the corridor. The development of plaque is straightforwardly identified with a people way of life, normal danger elements incorporate stoutness, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. At the point when the endothelium is harmed by blood stream, the cholesterol and fats in the blood get stuck shaping plaques. This outcomes in hypertension due the heart endeavoring to supply obliged levels of blood to the body. In the event that the blood stream to the heart muscles is limited or blocked it may
The plaque restricts blood flow to the heart and deprive the heart of oxygen it needs to function properly. CAD can be chronic, which is narrowing of the coronary artery and limitation of the blood supply to part of the muscle, or it can be acute, which results from a sudden plaque that ruptures. According to Warnica (2013), rupturing of the plaque “exposes collagen and other thrombogenic material, which activates platelets and the coagulation cascade, resulting in an acute thrombus, which interrupts coronary blood flow and causes some degree of myocardial ischemia.” The major risk factors that can lead to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease are hypertension, dyslipidemia, tobacco smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and genetic predisposition. The risk factors present in M.T.’s life are history of angina pectoris, history of uncontrolled hypertension due to non-compliance with treatment, obesity, and stress. M.T. is overweight with 289 pounds. M.T.’s cholesterol level is high at 280mg/dl. M.T.’s stress is related to experiencing the death of his best friend and business partner from cancer. Having three teenage children who are constantly in trouble at school and a wife who recently lost her job can be a stress factor in M.T.’s
Sometimes atherosclerosis occurs in the carotid arteries, especially at the bifurcation or the point where the common carotid divides into the internal and external carotids. Atherosclerosis means that a potentially dangerous plaque has formed on the artery wall. Plaque is a sticky material made of fat and calcium which hardens the arteries and can block the flow of blood. This narrowing is sometimes called a carotid artery stenosis, meaning that the carotid artery has narrowed significantly.
A sufficient coronary artery blood flow is essential to supply oxygen for normal cardiac activities (Craft, 2014, p. 599). Atherosclerosis is a common form of CHD. It is an inflammation disease when plasma cholesterol is high. Risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes increase the risk of endothelium injuries, contributing to the increase in oxidated lipid-lipoprotein (LDL). Foam cell is produced by the increase in the number of macrophages signalled by oxidated LDL. Next, the accumulation of foam cells will cause the formation of fatty streak lesions on arteries walls. Over time, fatty streak lesions migrate to the site and form fibrous plaque due to the increase in smooth muscles and collagen. The thickening and hardening initiated by an accumulation in calcified fibrous plaque caused the blood vessels to narrow. As a result, a decrease in tissue perfusion contributing to the development of myocardial ischemia (Craft, 2014, p. 599; McCance & Huether, 2014, pp. 1145-1147).
Atherosclerosis is a disease affecting the innermost layer of large and medium sized such as aorta and coronary arteries. It is a slow developing disease, it is complex and often starts in childhood and progresses with increasing age (Miksch, Hunter, & Papailiou, 2005). It appears as focal thickenings called fibrofatty plaques in an artery wall, these plaques are
Atherosclerosis means "hardening of the arteries"; this is caused by a build up of cholesterol and other fatty substance within the walls of the arteries. In atherosclerosis, fatty deposits called plaque, build up on the inner wall of the coronary arteries. These fatty deposits usually develop over
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
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
784). The immune system attempts to attack the inflamed area in the artery with special white blood cells and “cells full of fatty nutrients, foam cells, begin to form there, too” (Sapolsky, 2004, p. 43). The white blood cells are unable to properly fight the affected area, and in turn, end up adding more substance to the build up. As this process continues, the affected area becomes inflamed and physically hardens. This produces a blockage in the artery and reduces blood flow, while also causing an increase in blood pressure. At this point of the atherosclerosis build up, many people, especially women, experience angina.
Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is a general term for the thickening and hardening of arteries. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a pathological situation in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. Plaque is usually made of cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular products, calcium and fibrin (a clotting material in the blood). Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease (CVD) around the world. The magnitude of this problem is so high that atherosclerosis claims more lives than all types of cancer combined and the financial burden are considerable1. It a complex, chronic pathological
Common carotid intima-media thickness is an endothelial cell dysfunction parameter that may be associated with athero-sclerosis [9]. Its thickness is a known good predictor of cardio-vascular accidents in the general population [10] and has been reported in the patients with different rheumatic diseases as a strong predictor of cardiovascular events [11]. The