Atherosclerosis in Cardiovascular Disease: An Overview

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is often referred to several different diseases and disorders of the heart and blood vessels that constitute cardiovascular or heart disease. CVD is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis is the most common pathological process leading to CVD, a disease of medium to large arteries that majorly causes heart attacks and strokes. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis lesion is a very complex process that is associated with thickening of the intima layer, weakening of underlying intima. Many components of the vascular, metabolic, and immune systems are involved in this process. These lesions have been presented even in teenagers and young adults and although not clinically significant at this stage, these lesions possess the potential to develop into clinically relevant lesions later on in over decades of life. This article will give an overview relationship between atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.