Important Notice: Our web hosting provider recently started charging us for additional visits, which was unexpected. In response, we're seeking donations. Depending on the situation, we may explore different monetization options for our Community and Expert Contributors. It's crucial to provide more returns for their expertise and offer more Expert Validated Answers or AI Validated Answers. Learn more about our hosting issue here.

How Do Risk Factors Cause Atherosclerosis?

0
Posted

How Do Risk Factors Cause Atherosclerosis?

0

Recent research findings have uncovered a new theory that links risk factors for atherosclerosis with fatty lesion formation and their complications such as heart attacks. When the function of the cells that make up the artery wall is perturbed by risk factors such as high levels of bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, cigarette smoke, or diabetes, it triggers a response similar to the body’s reaction to foreign bodies or germs such as bacteria or viruses. White blood cells, the same cells the body uses to combat infections, accumulate in arteries that have encountered risk factors. These visitors to the artery wall lead to metabolic mayhem that disturbs the normal architecture of the artery and sets the stage for accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques. We used to conceive of atherosclerotic plaques as collections of fat droplets in the artery wall. We now know that this view is highly over-simplified. Much more than a depot of waxy grease, the atherosclerotic plaque teems with infla

Thanksgiving questions

*Sadly, we had to bring back ads too. Hopefully more targeted.