Atherosclerosis Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis?
Process of lipid accumulation (plaque forming), scarring and inflammation pop the vascular wall.
Results ins narrowing of vasculature due to vascular wall thickening and may result in thrombosis.
What does atherosclerosis commonly cause?
ACS, such as STEMI/NSTEMI but can also affect other blood vessels leading to stroke and AAA.
Also hypertension due to reduced elasticity of the vessels due to vascular hardening.
What can hypertension lead to in atherosclerosis?
Further vasculature wall damage, plaque formation and plaque rupture.
What is the mechanism of atherosclerosis?
The endothelium becomes damaged, from an array of causes, the most
common being hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus or a high
cholesterol diet.
Low density lipoproteins (LDL) will then infiltrate across the
damaged endothelium. Subsequently, white blood cells (monocytes/
macrophages) will accumulate within the arterial tissue to engulf the
LDL, forming plaques. Plaques are a combination of cholesterol,
calcium & WBCs.
