atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the most common and important type of a group of vascular diseases called arteriosclerosis. Its characteristics are thickening and hardening of the arterial wall, loss of elasticity, and narrowing of the lumen. Because the lipids accumulating on the arterial intima appear yellow and porridge-like, it is called atherosclerosis. It mainly affects large and medium-sized arteries, and its clinical manifestations are mainly based on the symptoms of the affected organs. The cause of this disease is not completely clear, but extensive and in-depth etiological investigations have found that this disease is a multifactorial disease, and its risk factors include: dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, age factors, gender factors, genetic factors, etc. Atherosclerosis is a major cause of death in developed Western countries. With the improvement of living standards and changes in dietary habits in China, this disease has also become a major cause of death in China. Atherosclerosis begins in childhood and progresses continuously, usually presenting symptoms in middle age or older adulthood. Because atherosclerotic plaques manifest as accumulations of lipids and necrotic tissue, atherosclerosis is often considered a degenerative disease. It is now believed that this lesion is the result of multiple factors acting together. First, the lesion involves the accumulation of smooth muscle cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes; second, there is proliferation of connective tissue matrix including collagen, elastic fibers, and proteoglycans, as well as smooth muscle cells; third, there are lipids, mainly containing cholesterol crystals, free cholesterol, and connective tissue. The content of lipids and connective tissue in atherosclerotic plaques determines the stability of the plaque and whether it is prone to causing acute ischemic events.