Definition
What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is a slowly progressing disease in which plaque, a deposit of fat, cholesterol, calcium, cells and debris, builds up in the inner layer of artery walls. Over time the plaque thickens and stiffens the wall and narrows the channel of the artery, so less blood and oxygen reach the tissues beyond. It often starts in childhood and worsens with age.
Plaque begins where the lining of an artery has been injured. Inflammatory cells gather at the damaged spot and release signals that draw cholesterol and cell waste into the wall, and white blood cells move in, swallow the cholesterol and clump together into plaque. If a plaque breaks open, a blood clot can form on it and suddenly block the artery.
Almost any artery in the body can be affected. In the coronary arteries it causes coronary artery disease and heart attacks; in the arteries of the neck and brain, strokes; and in the legs, peripheral artery disease. Major risk factors include high LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and obesity, along with inherited tendencies. It is one of the leading causes of death around the world.
Word parts
Where does the word “atherosclerosis” come from?
- athero-
- gruel or porridge, for the soft fatty core of plaqueGreek athere
- scler-
- hardGreek skleros
- -osis
- a condition or processGreek -osis
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Terms that go with it
- CholesterolCholesterol is a waxy steroid lipid found in animal cell membranes and used to make steroid hormones, vitamin D and the bile salts that digest fat.
- InfarctionInfarction is the death of an area of tissue, called an infarct, caused by a sudden loss of its blood supply, as in a heart attack or a stroke.
- StrokeA stroke is a sudden loss of brain function that happens when an artery supplying the brain is blocked or bursts and bleeds.
- HypertensionHypertension is a long-term condition in which the pressure of blood against artery walls stays higher than normal, straining the heart and vessels.
- InflammationInflammation is the body's protective response to infection or injury, in which leaky, widened blood vessels bring immune cells and fluid to the site.
- ThrombosisThrombosis is the formation of a blood clot, called a thrombus, inside a blood vessel or the heart, where it can narrow or block the flow of blood.
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Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- NHLBI: Atherosclerosis
- NHLBI: Atherosclerosis - Causes and Risk Factors
- OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, 19.1 Heart Anatomy
- NCBI MeSH: Atherosclerosis
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