Atherosclerosis is characterized by the thickening of the arterial wall and is the primary cause of coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, two of the most common causes of illness and death worldwide. Clinical trials have confirmed that certain lipoproteins and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system are important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and...

CONTEXT Atherosclerotic vascular disease is an enormous public health problem. A number of emerging risk factors for atherosclerosis have recently been proposed to help identify high-risk individuals. OBJECTIVE To review the epidemiological, basic science, and clinical trial evidence concerning 4 emerging risk factors: C-reactive protein, lipoprotein(a), fibrinogen, and homocysteine. DATA S...

During recent years atherosclerosis, the major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), has been recognised as a chronic inflammatory condition in which rupture of atherosclerotic lesions appears to play a major role. The risk of CVD is raised in many rheumatic diseases. This risk is high in systemic lupus erythematosus - as much as a 50-times increase among middle-aged women has been reported. S...

A ortic intramural haematoma (IMH) originates from spontaneous rupture of the aorta vasavasorum or from a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer. Recent advances in imaging techniques have significantly aided its diagnosis, placing the incidence between 10–30% of acute aortic syndromes. Clinical presentation may be identical to that of classical dissection. IMH affects patients with more atheroscler...

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is stenosis or occlusion of peripheral arterial vessels by atherosclerotic plaque. It may present as intermittent claudication, rest pain and impotence. PAD of the lower limbs is the third most important site of atherosclerotic disease after coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Increasing age, family history, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia a...