Atherosclerosis Brain infarct

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the Western world. Basically, atherosclerosis manifests itself in three major organs and thereby leads to severe secondary diseases. Coronary disease results from atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and culminates in myocardial infarction when vessels are occluded by a thrombus. In the brain, atherosclerosis gives rise to arterial thrombi or ruptures that result in a stroke. Atherosclerosis in the kidney leads to renal failure. Since these diseases significantly lower life expectancy, early recognition and elimination of risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and smoking) that promote atherosclerosis are essential. 

Atherosclerosis (athero = fatty and sclerosis = scarring or hardening) of the coronary and peripheral vasculature is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Lesions (called plaque) are initiated by an injury to endothelium and thicken the intima of arteries, occlude the lumen, and compromise delivery of nutrients and oxygen to tissue (ischemia). Atherosclerotic lesions primarily occur in large and medium-sized elastic and muscular arteries and progress over decades of life. These lesions cause ischemia, which can result in infarction of the heart (myocardial infarction) or brain (stroke), as well as abnormalities of extremities. The proximate cause of occlusion in these pathological conditions is thrombus formation. 

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