L10- Atherosclerosis Flashcards
What is arteriosclerosis?
- Hardening of arteries
- A group of disorders that have in common the thickening and loss of elasticity of arterial walls
- Three distinctive variants are recognised
What is atherosclerosis?
A progressive disease affecting the intima of elastic and muscular arteries characterised by focal atheromas consisting of a lipid core covered by a fibrous cap
What is Monckebergs Medical Sclerosis?
• Characterised by calcification of the media of muscular arteries- doesn’t impact lumen
What is arterioLOsclerosis?
- Characterised by the proliferative or hyaline thickening of the walls of small arteries and arterioles
- Not as dangerous as atherosclerosis
What are predisposing factors for atherosclerosis?
- Diet and hyperlipidaemias
- Hypertension
- Cigarette smoking
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Obesity, male gender, age, stress, diet
What is the first stage of atherogenesis?
- Lipid is present in macrophages in the intima after they have phagocytosed excess LDL’s
- The LDL’s entered by the gaps between endothelial cells or receptors on endothelial cells
- Excess LDL’s in blood
What is the second stage of atherogenesis?
Lipid is present in both macrophages and smooth muscle cells
What is the third stage of atherogenesis?
Fibrous plaque forms
What is the fourth stage of atherogenesis?
Complex plaque forms- fibrous cap overlying a lipid core
Medial layer becomes thin and vessel becomes weak
What is the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis?
- The lesions of atherosclerosis are initiated as a response to some form of injury to arterial endothelium
- Endothelial dysfunction (increased permeability, increased monocyte adhesion and increased EC replication) is thought to start the injury process
What is intermittent claudication?
- Effect of atherosclerosis
* Reduced blood flow to areas of the body like legs, causing pain
What is thrombosis?
Complication of late stage atherosclerosis when the plaque ruptures
