atherosclerosis- lqc 6a Flashcards
Which type of blood vessel does atherosclerosis usually occur in?
arteries
step 1 of atherosclerosis process
Damage to the endothelium of the wall of an artery
step 2 of atherosclerosis process
This triggers an inflammatory response – there is an accumulation of white blood cells as they move into the damaged wall
step 3 of atherosclerosis process
This causes a build up of cholesterol in the artery wall which forms a fatty build up called an atheroma
step 4 of atherosclerosis process
The build up of calcium salts and fibrous tissue, forming a hard plaque in the artery wall
step 5 of atherosclerosis process
The artery wall hardens and becomes less elastic
step 6 of atherosclerosis process
the artery lumen becomes narrower
step 7 of atherosclerosis process
The person now has atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
step 8 of atherosclerosis process
Atherosclerosis is a self–perpetuating or positive feedback process; the narrow lumen causes a further increase in blood pressure which can cause further damage to the artery endothelium.
risk factors of atherosclerosis
- High blood cholesterol
- High blood pressure