Inflammation and Coronary Artery Disease

Question 1

During the development of an atherosclerotic plaque,

1) What can cause chronic insult?
2) Endothelial dysfunction occurs leading to?
3) Macrophages are activated leading to?
4) What develops the “fatty streak?
5) What finally creates the plaque?

Answer 1

1) Smoking, HTN, DM
2) Increased luminal permeability and increased adhesion
3) Smooth muscle activation and proliferation
4) Macrophages and smooth muscle cells engulf lipids
5) Further smooth muscle proliferation, ECM deposition, and extracellular lipid accumulation

Question 2

What is closely associated with the initial development of atherosclerosis?
Where does lipid accumulation occur as a result?

Answer 2

1) Endothelial injury

2) Tunica intima

Question 3

What unique receptor is present on anterior interventricular arteries in a person that died?

Answer 3

CD-36

Question 4

What vessel most frequently affected by atherosclerosis?

Answer 4

Abdominal aorta

Question 5

What therapeutic mechanism that they tested most closely resembles the action of Canakinumab?

Answer 5

Selective inhibition of the inflammasome production of IL-1beta

Question 6

CD36 uptakes oxidized lipids into macrophages which creates?

Answer 6

Foam cells and fatty streaks

Question 7

What makes a thrombus more likely to rupture?

Answer 7

Extensive remodeling of the plaque due to inflammation

Question 8

What marker is very indicative and concerning for risk of cardiac disease?

Answer 8

hs-CRP