Inflammation and Atherosclerosis

Abstract

Abstract-Atherosclerosis, formerly considered a bland lipid storage disease, actually involves an ongoing inflammatory response. Recent advances in basic science have established a fundamental role for inflammation in mediating all stages of this disease from initiation through progression and, ultimately, the thrombotic complications of atherosclerosis. These new findings provide important links between risk factors and the mechanisms of atherogenesis. Clinical studies have shown that this emerging biology of inflammation in atherosclerosis applies directly to human patients. Elevation in markers of inflammation predicts outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes, independently of myocardial damage. In addition, low-grade chronic inflammation, as indicated by levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein, prospectively defines risk of atherosclerotic complications, thus adding to prognostic information provided by traditional risk factors. Moreover, certain treatments that reduce coronary risk also limit inflammation. In the case of lipid lowering with statins, this anti-inflammatory effect does not appear to correlate with reduction in low-density lipoprotein levels.

Use of Resveratrol in Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention: A Systematic Review

“…Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are the main cause of death in in developed countries with atherosclerotic disease being considered a public health problem 1,2 . There is an intimate causal relationship between Atherosclerotic diseases and CVD 3 , since the main consequences of the former are myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and aortic aneurysm 4 .…”