Atherosclerosis Flashcards
What is arteriosclerosis?
- Thickening and hardening of walls of arteries and arterioles
- Usually as a result of hypertension or diabetes mellitus
- often associated with loss of elasticity
(umbrella term)
What can arteriosclerosis result in? (3)
- Poor tissue perfusion
- Inelastic/weak vessels (leading to aneurysm)
- Increased risk of thrombus formation
What is atherosclerosis?
Accumulation of intracellular and extracellular lipid in the intima and media of the large and medium sized arteries
What is an atheroma?
Necrotic core of the atherosclerotic plaque. The thickening and hardening of arterial wall as a consequence of atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis - disease process
What are 3 macroscopic features of atherosclerosis?
Fatty streak
Simple plaque
Complicated plaque
What are the macroscopic features of fatty streak? (3)
- Lipid deposits in intima
- Yellow
- Slightly Raised
What are the macroscopic features of a simple plaque?”
- Yellow/white
- Raised (even more raised than fatty streak)
- Irregular outline
- Widely distributed
- Enlarge and coalesce/become more prominent
What are the macroscopic features of a complicated plaque?
Thrombosis
Haemorrhage into plaque
Calcification
Aneurysm formation
Common sites for atherosclerosis
Aorta (ABDOMINAL) Coronary arteries Carotid arteries Cerebral arteries Leg arteries
Normal arterial structure
Intima Internal elastic lamina Media (muscular) External elastic lamina Adventitia
What happens early on in atherosclerosis?
Proliferation of smooth muscle cells and foam cells
Extracellular lipid
Later changes in atherosclerosis
Fibrosis
necrosis
cholesterol clefts (holes)
+- inflammatory cells
Later vessel changes atherosclerosis
Internal elastic lamina disrupted
damage to media
ingrowth of BV
Plaque fissuring
Clinical effects of atherosclerosis
Ischaemic heart disease Cerebral Ischaemia Mesenteric ischaemia Peripheral vascular disease Aortic aneurysm
Ischaemic heart disease can lead to…
MI, death, angina pectoris, arrythmias, cardiac failure
Cerebral ischaemia can lead to
Transient ischaemic attack (mini stroke)
Cerebral infarct (stroke)
Multi infarct dementia
Mesenteric ischaemia can lead to…
Ischaemic colitis
Malabsorption
Intestinal infarction
Peripheral vascular disease can lead to…
Intermittent claudication (calf pain on exercise)
Leriche syndrome
Ischaemic rest pain
gangrene
What is leriche syndrome?
Pain in buttocks
Impotence
(from ischaemia of iliac arteries)
Risk factors atherosclerosis
Age Gender Hyperlipidaemia (LDL high) Smoking Hypertension Diabetes mellitus Alcohol Infection Oral contraceptive