Answers on Atherosclerosis - Vascular

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Where is the most common site of atherosclerosis? Abdominal aorta > coronary > popliteal > internal carotid

What makes up the lipid core and fibrous cap of an atheroma?

• fibrous cap: smooth muscle cells, macrophages/foam cells, lymphocytes, collagen, elastin
• necrotic center: cell debris, cholesterol crystals, foam cells, calcium

Name 4 modifiable and 4 non-modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis:

• Modifiable: HTN, DM, smoking, hyperlipidemia
• nonmodifiable: age, male sex, family history, genetics

What affects does HTN have on large arteries?

• Aortic Dissection:

• note the cystic medial degeneration - in patients > 40 aortic dissection is due to HTN and in patients <40 usually due to a CT disorder like Marfan's (fibrillin defect). Once a rupture occurs and blood can exit via an intimal tear it ascends up the adbominal aorta and fills the pericardium with blood. This is known as cardiac tamponade and results in sudden death.

• accelerates atherosclerosis -( if untreated 50% of deaths will be due to ischemic heart disease / congestive heart disease and 30% stroke)
• aneurysm  - ballooning of a blood vessel