Pathology Assignment on Atheroscelorisis - Essay Example

Disease Atherosclerosis is an immunoinflammatory disease of the medium and large sized arteries in the human body (Falk, 2006). The deposition of fat and cholesterol in the inner arterial wall results in the formation of hard atherosclerotic plaques. These plaques narrow the artery thereby reducing the blood flow in the respective arteries (Dugdale, 2010; Atherosclerosis, n.d). The occurrence of plaque in the coronary arteries will reduce the blood flow to the heart eventually leading to chest pain or angina, breathlessness and heart attack.

Acute coronary syndromes and stroke can result if a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque is superimposed by thrombosis (Falk, 2006; Dugdale, 2010). Normal physiology of arteries Arteries are high-pressure vessels that carry blood to various parts of the body. A cross-section of the normal arterial wall consists of three layers: outer, middle and inner layer. The middle layer or the media consists of tightly packed smooth muscle cells, tissue proteins such as collagen and elastin, and proteoglycans which form gels.

The inner layer or the intima consists of loosely packed cells and there are open spaces between the tissue components. The outer layer or the adventitia also consists of loose cells and bundles of collagen and connective tissues. Atherosclerosis occurs in the inner layer or the intima which is a form of connective tissue. These tissues are responsible for providing shape and structure to the body organs. The fibrous tissue proteins such as elastin and collagen which are present in between the cells give strength to the tissue.

The arterial intima consists of elastin, collagen and proteoglycans which give strength to the tissue. In addition, the boundary between the arterial intima and the blood is lined by closely packed endothelial cells which prevent the cells and proteins in the blood from coming into contact with the underlying connective tissue (Atherosclerosis, n.d). Hence any disruption or fatty deposition in the connective tissue can cause scars or plaques which in turn activate the endothelial cells that plays a major role in initiating the inflammatory process by recruiting blood cells to the atherosclerotic plaques (Falk, 2006; Atherosclerosis, n.d). Risk factors The major risk factors for atherosclerosis include diabetes, increased consumption of alcohol, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, increasing age, obesity, familial risk of heart disease, smoking, male gender and presence of inflammatory markers (Falk, 2006; Dugdale, 2010).

Diagnosis The condition is diagnosed only when the blood flow becomes blocked due to increased plaque formation. Restricted blood flow may give rise to various symptoms in different parts of the body depending on the location of the block. The major symptoms include abdominal aortic aneurysm, coronary diseases, renal diseases, mesenteric artery ischemia, peripheral artery disease, renal artery stenosis, stroke and thoracic aortic aneurysm. The presence of these symptoms can be diagnosed using several tests such as brachial index, angiography, arteriography, cardiac stress tests, CT scan, Doppler study, Intravascular ultrasound, Magnetic resonance arteriography, mesenteric arteriography, pulmonary angiography and renal arteriography.

Treatment Atherosclerosis can be prevented in the presence of a known risk factor by lifestyle changes such as avoiding fatty foods, lesser alcohol intake, and regular exercise, control of blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar. Medications are prescribed to control pressure, sugar and cholesterol and only few medications have shown to clear plaques. If atherosclerosis is detected further complication of the condition can be prevented through surgeries. These include angioplasty and stent placements, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, coronary artery bypass, carotid artery surgery and less invasive heart surgeries.

Prognosis and Complications Atherosclerosis occurs in almost every individual as they grow old. However the development of the condition can be controlled. If left untreated the condition can give rise complications such as coronary heart diseases, damages to kidney, brain, liver and intestines, heart attack, stroke and ischemic attacks. Hence it is vital to diagnose the condition and follow the treatment regimen (Dugdale, 2010). Reference 1. Falk, E. (2006). Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis. Journal of American College of Cardiology, 47: 7-12. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2005.09.068. 2. Dugdale, D.C. (2010).

Atherosclerosis. MedlinePlus. Retrieved May 8, 2011, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/atherosclerosis.html 3. Atherosclerosis- A Story of Cells, Cholesterol and Clots. (n.d). Learn your Lipids. National Lipid Association. Retrieved May 8, 2011, from http://www.learnyourlipids.com/atherosclerosis/article02.php