Atherosclerosis – A Review

Atherosclerosis although a normal concomitant of aging, is the major pathogenic factor in coronary and cerebral thrombosis. While coronary thrombosis is implicated in the development of ischaemic heart disease, cerebral thrombosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of stroke, a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Furthermore, the microangiopathic changes resulting in diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy are due to atherosclerosis. The increasing incidence of each of these pathological conditions seems to cause fear to every knowledgeable person about fat consumption. It is misleading to link atherosclerosis to an abnormal lipid metabolism, although studies have shown that cholesterol ester is the major class of lipid that accumulates while triglycericles, phospholipids, sphingolipids and cholesterol are present in smaller amounts. Past studies have also indicated that essential fatty acid (EFA) and Vitamin E prevent atherogenesis. This review emphasizes the biochemical events of atherogenesis as well as the role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerosis. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 48 (1), 2005: 22 - 2