What is an atheroma and how is it caused?
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is usually caused by a build-up of fatty deposits (atheroma) on the walls of the arteries around the heart (coronary arteries). The build-up of atheroma makes the arteries narrower, restricting the flow of blood to the heart muscle. This process is called atherosclerosis.
What is the cause of atheroma?
They develop when cholesterol sticks to the wall of the artery. Your immune system, sensing a problem, will send white blood cells to attack the cholesterol. This sets off a chain of reactions that leads to inflammation. In a worst-case scenario, cells form a plaque over the cholesterol, and a small blockage is formed.
What does atheroma contain?
An atheroma, or atheromatous plaque (“plaque”), is an abnormal and reversible accumulation of material in the inner layer of an artery wall. The material consists of mostly macrophage cells, or debris, containing lipids, calcium and a variable amount of fibrous connective tissue.
What is meant by atheromatous aorta?
An atheromatous aorta is one that has plaque formation lining the wall of the aorta which is the major blood vessel that leaves the heart. These plaques contain calcium and this shows up on an X-ray along the vessel walls.
What is aortic atheroma?
Aortic atheromas (aortic atheromatous plaques) are defined by an irregular thickening of the intima ≥2 mm, and a complex plaque is defined as a protruding atheroma ≥4 mm with or without an attached mobile component.
Where does atheroma occur?
Atheroma occurs in large elastic and muscular arteries such as the aorta, coronary, femoral, and carotid arteries, and especially at predisposed sites such as bifurcations where there is flow disturbance. Plaques form on the basis of fatty streaks that may be present very early in life.
Does high cholesterol cause plaque in arteries?
Too much LDL in the blood can cause cholesterol to lodge in the artery walls and form plaques. That’s why LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol. Not surprisingly, high levels of cholesterol in the diet raise blood levels of LDL.
What is calcified atheroma?
Calcified carotid atheroma (CCA) consists of a calcification plaque of cholesterol and fat within the carotid artery, and known risk factors include diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and smoking.
What are the symptoms of atheromatous aorta?
What are the symptoms of atherosclerosis?
- chest pain or angina.
- pain in your leg, arm, and anywhere else that has a blocked artery.
- cramping in the buttocks while walking.
- shortness of breath.
- fatigue.
- confusion, which occurs if the blockage affects circulation to your brain.
What is a mobile atheroma?
Mobile atheroma are associated with increased perioperative strokes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Peripheral embolization is an additional risk. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) accurately identifies mobile atheroma.