Atheroma 1 Flashcards
Describe atheroma or atherosclerosis.
Atheroma or atherosclerosis is the formation of focal elevated lesions called plaques in the intima of large and medium-sized arteries.
What are the consequences of atheroma in coronary arteries?
Atheromatous plaques in coronary arteries can narrow the lumen, leading to insufficient blood flow and myocardial ischemia, causing conditions like angina.
Define thromboembolism in the context of atheroma.
Thromboembolism is a common complication of atheroma, where blood clots form on the atheromatous plaques and can break off, causing blockages in other blood vessels.
How does a normal aorta differ from an atheromatous aorta visually?
A normal aorta has a smooth and pale inner surface without atheroma, while an atheromatous aorta shows large yellow plaques on the intimal surface.
Describe the appearance of an atheromatous coronary artery in a cross-section.
In an atheromatous coronary artery, the lumen is significantly reduced due to the presence of a large atheromatous plaque in the intima.
What is arteriosclerosis, and how does it relate to atheroma?
Arteriosclerosis is a condition involving thickening and hardening of the arterial walls. It is often associated with atheroma, contributing to the development of atherosclerosis.
Describe arteriosclerosis.
Arteriosclerosis is an age-related change in muscular arteries characterized by smooth muscle hypertrophy, intimal fibrosis, reduction in vessel diameter, and apparent reduplication of internal elastic laminae.
Define atheroma.
Atheroma refers to a type of plaque in arteries, starting as a fatty streak and progressing to a fully developed plaque with a central lipid core, fibrous tissue cap, and inflammatory cells.
How does arteriosclerosis contribute to health issues in the elderly population?
Arteriosclerosis contributes to the high frequency of cardiac, cerebral, colonic, and renal ischemia in the elderly population.
Do fatty streaks in arteries have clinical significance?
Fatty streaks, the earliest significant lesion in atheroma, are not thought to have any clinical significance and may disappear, but in patients at risk, they can progress to form atheromatous plaques.
Describe the layers of a normal artery wall.
A normal artery wall consists of the intima layer with endothelial cells, the media made of smooth muscle, and the adventitia made of connective tissue with nerves and small blood vessels.
How do atheromatous plaques develop in arteries?
Atheromatous plaques develop from smooth yellow patches in the intima, progressing from lipid-laden macrophages to established plaques with a central lipid core and fibrous tissue cap.
Describe the central lipid core in a fully developed atheromatous plaque.
The central lipid core is rich in cellular lipids and debris derived from macrophages, soft, highly thrombogenic, and often surrounded by a rim of foamy macrophages.
Define foamy macrophages in the context of atheromatous plaques.
Foamy macrophages are so named due to their appearance resembling bubbles of fats, caused by the uptake of oxidized lipoproteins via specialized membrane-bound scavenger receptors.
How does dystrophic calcification manifest in a fully developed atheromatous plaque?
Dystrophic calcification in a fully developed atheromatous plaque can be extensive and typically occurs late in plaque development, often visible in angiograms or CT scans.
