Atherosclerosis: The Disease

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries that causes it to 'harden' and affects both medium and large arteries. It looks at how it is the principal cause of heart attacks and strokes and how it is responsible for over 50% of all deaths in the western world.

Outline
Introduction
Risk Factors of Atherosclerosis
Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis
Proliferation of Smooth Muscle Cells
Recruitment of Immune Cells to the Vessel Wall
Adhesion Molecules
Oxidised LDL (oxLDL)
Role of Monocytes/Macrophages
Role of Cytokines, Chemokines and Growth Factors
Foam Cell Formation
Lesions of Atherosclerosis

From the Paper:

"There are several factors that contribute to the development of atherosclerosis but the prominent risk factor is considered to be hypercholesterolaemia that could be due to genetic defects and/or diet. In relation to the former, it has seen that mutations in the ABCA1 gene are responsible for two genetic disorders, tangier disease and familial hypoalphalipoproteinaemia (FHA) (Medh, 2000). Tangier disease causes cholesterol deposition in macrophages throughout the body due to impairment of cellular efflux and the absence of HDL (Asztalos and Schaefer, 2003). FHA results in decreased cellular cholesterol efflux and degradation of HDL (Brooks-Wilson et al. 1999). Another genetic disorder familial hypercholesterolaemia is a condition that leads to high lipid levels in the plasma due to impaired removal of lipids."

More papers on Atherosclerosis: The Disease:

• Research Paper # 108591 : "Concepts and Mechanisms in Atherosclerosis"
• Research Paper # 7218 : "Peripheral Arterial Disease"
• Research Paper # 127936 : "Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked with Atherosclerosis?"

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