What is Atherosclerosis?

Contents

Atherosclerosis: Introduction
Types of Atherosclerosis
Prognosis
Complications
Prevalence
Other names for Atherosclerosis
Who gets Atherosclerosis?
What causes Atherosclerosis?
What are the symptoms of Atherosclerosis?
Organs Affected by Atherosclerosis
Can anyone else get Atherosclerosis?
How is it treated?
Society issues for Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis: Introduction

What is Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a syndrome affecting arterial blood vessels. It is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by low density (especially small particle) lipoproteins (plasma proteins that carry cholesterol and triglycerides) without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoproteins (HDL). It is commonly referred to as a hardening or furring of the arteries. It is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries.
Atherosclerosis: A common form of arteriosclerosis characterized by deposits of plaques (atheromas) containing lipids, carbohydrates, blood and blood products, fibrous tissue, and calcium deposits. These plaques are found in the intima of large- and medium-sized arteries.
Source - Diseases Database
Atherosclerosis: a stage of arteriosclerosis involving fatty deposits (atheromas) inside the arterial walls.
Source - WordNet 2.1

Atherosclerosis: Introduction

Types of Atherosclerosis:

Types of Atherosclerosis:

Coronary artery disease - affecting heart arteries.
Cerebral Arteriosclerosis
Autoimmune Atherosclerosis
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) - affects arteries in legs or limbs.
more types...»

Broader types of Atherosclerosis:

How many people get Atherosclerosis?

Prevalance of Atherosclerosis: 17 per 1000 - NHIS95
Prevalance Rate of Atherosclerosis: approx 1 in 58 or 1.70% or 4.6 million people in USA [about data]

Who gets Atherosclerosis?

Profile for Atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a disease that can affect people at any age, although it usually doesn't pose a threat until people reach their forties or fifties. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)

How serious is Atherosclerosis?

Complications of Atherosclerosis: see complications of Atherosclerosis
Average life years lost for Atherosclerosis: 7.5 years (SEER)¹
Deaths for Atherosclerosis: 14,979 deaths reported in USA 1999 (NVSR Sep 2001); contributes to other causes rather than direct cause of death; 71,926 deaths for Atherosclerotic CVD (NHLBI 1999).

What causes Atherosclerosis?

Causes of Atherosclerosis: see causes of Atherosclerosis
Causes of Atherosclerosis: It is characterized by a narrowing of the arteries caused by cholesterol-rich plaques of immune system cells (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)
Risk factors for Atherosclerosis: see risk factors for Atherosclerosis

What are the symptoms of Atherosclerosis?

Symptoms of Atherosclerosis: see symptoms of Atherosclerosis

Complications of Atherosclerosis: see complications of Atherosclerosis

Can anyone else get Atherosclerosis?

Inheritance: see inheritance of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Atherosclerosis.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Atherosclerosis.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Atherosclerosis: Family Practice Physician, Internist, Cardiologist ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Atherosclerosis.
Treatments for Atherosclerosis: see treatments for Atherosclerosis
Alternative treatments for Atherosclerosis: see alternative treatments for Atherosclerosis
Prevention of Atherosclerosis: see prevention of Atherosclerosis
Research for Atherosclerosis: see research for Atherosclerosis

Society issues for Atherosclerosis

Hospitalizations for Atherosclerosis: 20,000 with 12,000 for atherosclerosis, 8,000 for Atherosclerotic CVD (NHLBI 1999)

Hospitalization statistics for Atherosclerosis: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Atherosclerosis:

0.066% (8,480) of hospital consultant episodes were for atherosclerosis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
85% of hospital consultant episodes for atherosclerosis required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
61% of hospital consultant episodes for atherosclerosis were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
39% of hospital consultant episodes for atherosclerosis were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
27% of hospital consultant episodes for atherosclerosis required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
more statistics...»

Physician office visits for Atherosclerosis: 734,000 with 222,000 for atherosclerosis, 512,000 for Atherosclerotic CVD (NHLBI 1999)