Atherosclerosis

comprehensive and up to date information

1. Presented by:
Ms. Elizabeth M.Sc (N)
Asst. Professor,
Dept of MSN
NNC, GNSU.

5. Terms
•Arteriosclerosis - hardening (and loss of elasticity) of medium or
large arteries
•Arteriolosclerosis is any hardening (and loss of elasticity)
of arterioles (small arteries);
•Atherosclerosis is a hardening of an artery specifically due to an
atheromatous plaque.
•Atherogenic is used for substances or processes that cause
atherosclerosis.
•Atherogenesis is the developmental process of
atheromatous plaques

7. Atherosclerosis (also known as Arteriosclerotic Vascular Disease or ASVD)
It is a preventable and treatable condition.

13. Causes
Atherosclerosis starts with damage or injury to the inner layer of an artery. The
damage may be caused by:
•High blood pressure
•High cholesterol
•An irritant, such as nicotine
•Certain diseases, such as diabetes

14. Pathophysiology
•Atherosclerosis develops as a chronic inflammatory response of the
arterial wall to endothelial injury.
•Lesion progression occurs through interactions of modified lipoproteins,
monocyte-derived macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and the normal cellular
constituent of the arterial wall.
•It is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries.
•It can restrict blood flow.These plaques can also burst, causing a blood clot.
•The contemporary view of atherosclerosis is expressed by the response-to-
injury hypothesis.

15. Response-to-injury hypothesis.
The following are the steps involved in the hypothesis:
1.Chronic endothelial injury
2.Accumulation of lipoproteins
3.Monocyte adhesion to the endothelium
4.SMC proliferations and ECM production
5.factor release
6.platelet adhesion

21. Diagnosis

24. •Although atherosclerosis is considered a heart
disease it can happen in any part of the bodies.
•It is can be prevented by life style factor and
home remidies by eating healthy diet.